| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Abdulkadir Abdi Haji[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1999-12-01)1 December 1999 (age 25) | ||
| Place of birth | Kakuma, Kenya | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Vermont Green | ||
| Number | 70 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2016 | New Hampshire Classics | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016 | New England Pilgrims | 14 | (9) |
| 2017–2018 | VCU Rams | 35 | (7) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2017–2018 | Portland Timbers U23s | 21 | (5) |
| 2019–2022 | San Jose Earthquakes | 14 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | →Reno 1868 (loan) | 18 | (1) |
| 2022 | San Jose Earthquakes II | 7 | (1) |
| 2023 | FC Tulsa | 18 | (0) |
| 2024– | Vermont Green | 3 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2013–2014 | United States U15 | ||
| 2014–2015 | United States U17 | ||
| 2015–2016 | United States U19 | ||
| 2022– | Somalia | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 June 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 3 April 2022 | |||
Abdulkadir Abdi "Siad" Haji (Arabic:عبد القادر عبدي "سعيد" حاجي;Osmanya: 𐒖𐒁𐒆𐒚𐒐𐒏𐒖𐒆𐒘𐒇 𐒖𐒁𐒆𐒘 “𐒈𐒖𐒘𐒆” 𐒔𐒖𐒃𐒘; born 1 December 1999) is a Somali professionalfootballer who plays as awinger forUSL League Two clubVermont Green. Born a Somali refugee in Kenya and a former United States youth international, he plays for theSomalia national team.
Haji was born in a Kenyan refugee camp, his parents having fled Somalia.[2] In 2004, they moved toNew Hampshire.[2] Haji settled in a refugee community near downtownManchester, New Hampshire, played youth soccer for the New Hampshire Classics, and was offered a spot on theNew England Revolution youth academy's under-16 team. However, the distance and financial logistics made it difficult for him to accept a spot in the academy. He would continue to play for the Classics through high school.[3]
Upon graduating, Haji did not have the eligibility to play inNCAA Division I, so he played forNew England College inNCAA Division III during his first year.[3] With the Pilgrims, he scored nine times in fourteen appearances. Between Haji's first and second years, he transferred from New England College toVirginia Commonwealth University where he was a starting midfielder for theVCU Rams men's soccer team, and earned theAtlantic 10 Midfielder of the Year award in 2018.[4]
Haji played two seasons inUSL League Two (then known as thePremier Development League) with thePortland Timbers U23s. He made 21 appearances over the two seasons, scoring five goals.[5]
On 3 January 2019, he signed aGeneration Adidas contract withMajor League Soccer and was eligible for the2019 MLS SuperDraft.[6] Haji, by many mock drafts, was considered a top five draft pick,[7][8][9] and some cases, the first overall draft pick.[10][11] He was ultimately drafted second overall in the2019 MLS SuperDraft by theSan Jose Earthquakes, the highest ever drafted alumnus from VCU.
Ahead of the2019 USL Championship season, Haji went on loan toReno 1868. He made his professional debut and his Reno debut on 16 March 2019, in a 2–1 win againstAustin Bold, subbing on at halftime forGilbert Fuentes.[12]
Haji was released by San Jose following the 2022 season.[13]
On 19 January 2023, he signed a contract withUSL Championship sideFC Tulsa.[14]
Haji joined fourth-tier sideVermont Green of theUSL League Two on May 2, 2024.[15]
He played for various youth teams for the United States. In 2020, he was called up by the Somalia national team ahead of their first games at home in Mogadishu.[16]
In March 2022, he was called up to theSomalia national team.[17] Haji debuted with Somalia in a 3–02023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification loss toEswatini on 23 March 2022.[18]