Abdulla Rasheed
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Abdulla Rasheed | ||
| Date of birth | 1956 | ||
| Place of birth | Malé, Maldives | ||
| Date of death | (aged 57)[1] | ||
| Place of death | Trivandrum, India | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Malé Zamaanee Musiky Club | |||
| Victory Sports Club | |||
| International career | |||
| 1979–???? | Maldives | (1) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Abdulla Rasheed (c. 1956 – 29 May 2013), commonly known as Juliet Abdulla Rasheed or simply Jooley, was a Maldivian footballer who played as a defender. He is remembered as the first player to score a goal for the Maldives national team.[2][3]
Rasheed was widely known by the nickname Jooley, derived from his family house name, G. Juliet.[4]
Club career
Rasheed was regarded as a talismanic defender at Malé Zamaanee Musiky Club.[5]
In Victory Sports Club, he led the club to three consecutive victories in the National Championship in 1985 as the captain.[6] His playing career was cut short due to injuries.[6]
International career
Rasheed represented the Maldives team against the Britannia team (ship team) during Queen Elizabeth II's visit to the Maldives in 1972.[5] This was recorded the first time a Maldivian team played against a foreign team and went on to win the game 2–0. He got the opportunity because of his performance in the 1971 National Championship.[5]
The first national football team was formed in 1979,[5] He was a key player in the Maldives team that competed in the Indian Ocean Island Games in Réunion that year.[5]
On 29 August 1979, Rasheed became the first Maldivian to score a goal at the international level.[7] He scored during a 2–1 defeat, assisted by captain Ibrahim Ismail,[8] against Comoros in the knockout qualification play-off of the 1979 Indian Ocean Island Games held in Stade Michel Volnay, Réunion.[9]
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 August 1979 | Stade Michel Volnay, Saint-Pierre, Réunion | Comoros | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1979 Indian Ocean Games | [9][6] |
Later life and death
In September 2012, Rasheed began treatment for lung cancer.[1] He died on 29 May 2013, aged 57, while receiving treatment at the Regional Cancer Centre in Trivandrum, India.[1] He was survived by his wife, four sons, and four daughters.[1]
Legacy
On 17 January 2017, the Football Association of Maldives introduced the Jooley Award, presented annually at the Maldives Football Awards to the player who scores the “most beautiful goal” of the year, in honour of Rasheed’s contributions to Maldivian football.[6][10][11]
References
- ^ a b c d "First International Scorer for Maldives Jooley dies at age 57". Sun.mv (Dhivehi). Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ "International Diamond Jubilee tournament to be held next year". Edition.mv. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ "Into the History Books: Special matches of the Maldives". Mihaaru.com (Dhivehi). Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ "Footballers' nicknames: they're fun!". Dho.mv (Dhivehi). Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "Shaheed (Martyr) Corporal Hussain Adam's first commander dies". Mihaaru.com (Dhivehi). Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Jooley – Decorated Legend in Victory SC History". Victory Sports Club. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ "The Maldivian Teams that gave hope". Adhadhu.com (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ "Ibrahim Ismail retires from sports". Mihaaru.com (Dhivehi). Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Jeux des Iles de l'Océan Indien - Reunion, 1979 - Match against Fifth Place". RSSSF. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ "Dhangadey wins award for best male player of the year". Raajje.mv. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ "FAM to introduce new awards next year". Raajje.mv (in Dhivehi). Retrieved 10 August 2025.