Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Ahmad Rakhli is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Akmal Rizal. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

Akmal Rizal Bin Ahmad Rakhli (born 12 December 1981) is a former Malaysian professional footballer who played as a forward. He is well known for his finishing ability and good technique. Apart from that, he is one of the batch of Malaysians to play overseas.^[3] Akmal Rizal is the current head coach of Malaysia Super League club Penang.

Akmal Rizal

Personal information
Full name	Akmal Rizal Bin Ahmad Rakhli
Date of birth	(1981-12-12) 12 December 1981 (age 42)[1]
Place of birth	Jitra, Kedah, Malaysia
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Penang
Youth career
1998	Kedah FA President
1999	RC Strasbourg Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1999	Kedah FA	0	(0)
1999–2001	RC Strasbourg	0	(0)
1999–2001	→ FCSR Haguenau (loan)	36	(10)
2002–2006	Kedah FA	53	(38)
2006–2008	Selangor FA	39	(23)
2009	Kuala Muda NAZA FC	16	(3)
2010	Kelantan FA	18	(10)
2011–2012	Perak FA	45	(14)
2013	Kedah FA	16	(3)
2014	Sarawak FA	5	(1)
2015	Kedah United F.C.	0	(0)
Total		242	(107)
International career‡
1998–2004	Malaysia U-23	24	(20)
2001–2008	Malaysia	22[2]	(9)
Managerial career
2019	PB Melayu Kedah
2020–2021	Penang (assistant)
2022–2023	Penang U21
2023	Penang (caretaker)
2024–	Penang
Medal record Malaysia under-23 Sea Games Sea Games 2001 Football
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 January 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 December 2013

Club career

Early career

A product of the Kedah youth academy (Kedah Piala President), Akmal with pacy and skilful talent, made his way going abroad to join RC Strasbourg. He made his debut for the RC Strasbourg Academy U-21 which ended in a 3–1 win against FC Köln II and he successfully scored 2 goals in that friendly match.^[4] In 2000, to aid his development, the then 19-year-old forward joined FCSR Haguenau on loan.^[5] He scored 11 goals in 22 games and won Championnat de France amateur 2.^[6] On 20 May 2000, during RC Strasbourg tour to Malaysia, Akmal and Peguy Luyindula helped Strasbourg beat GNK Dinamo Zagreb 2–0 in friendly match at the Shah Alam Stadium.^[7]

He also attracted the attention of former Mainz manager, Jürgen Klopp to signing him for Mainz before he returned to Malaysia and joined Kedah FA.^[8]

Kedah FA

In 2002, he returned from abroad and played for his former youth academy team senior squad. Later, he won 2002 Liga Perdana 2.^[9] In 2003 Liga Perdana 1, he scoring 10 goals in 24 games and becoming runner-up with the team at the end of the season.^[10]

Selangor FA

He then played for Selangor starting season 2006–07 Malaysia Super League.^[11]

Kuala Muda Naza FC

in 2009 Malaysia Super League, he joined new promoted club, Kuala Muda Naza.^[12]

Kelantan FA

On 12 January 2010, he scored his first goal for Kelantan in a 3–0 win against Johor FA and also becoming runner-up in the league at the end of the season.^[13] Later, he finally won his first Malaysia Cup in the 2010 Malaysia Cup Final after Kelantan beat Negeri Sembilan FA 2-1.^[14]

Perak FA

After leaving Kelantan FA, he then joined Perak and reunited with his former national team head coach, Norizan Bakar.^[15]

Kedah FA

He made his second debut (first debut in 2002) on 7 January 2013, appearing as a substitute in a 1–0 win against UiTM F.C., and made his full first start for the club in the game against DRB-Hicom Pos Malaysia FC. On 8 March 2013, he scored his first goal for Kedah FA in the 62nd minute against Kuala Lumpur FA.^[16] He made 16 appearances with Kedah FA before he agreed to join Sarawak FA for the 2014 Malaysia Super League season.

Sarawak FA

On 10 November 2013, Akmal Rizal officially signed a one-year contract with Sarawak FA after being released by Kedah FA.^[17]

Kedah United F.C.

In 2015, Akmal Rizal played with Kedah United F.C. in 2015 Malaysia FAM League.

International career

He represented Malaysia U-23 for the 2001 Sea Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.^[18] He also represented Malaysia U-23 for the Afro-Asian Games Hyderabad, India in October 2003.^[19]

In 2002, Akmal was called up for an international friendly match against five times World Cup winners Brazil. He was selected as one of the first eleven to play against Brazilian stars such as Ronaldo and Barca's Ronaldinho.^[20][21][22]

He has also been called up by Malaysia national football team coach Norizan Bakar for the AFC Asian Cup 2007 in July, co-hosting by 4 countries Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia.^[23]

After retirement from playing

Akmal Rizal retired from playing professionally in 2016. After retiring, he was the co-commentator for live telecasts of Malaysia football in Media Prima Berhad television stations. He also opened a youth football academy in his hometown Jitra, while completing his AFC coaching course, and as of 2017, he holds 'B' license in this course.^[24]

In June 2019, he finally completed his AFC coaching course and earned AFC 'A' license.^[25]

Managerial career

On 27 December 2019, Akmal was hired to become assistant head coach for Penang FC in 2020 Malaysia Premier League.^[26]

In 2022, he then became head coach for Penang U-21.^[27]

On 7 November 2023, he then became Penang caretaker for remaining of the 2023 Malaysia Super League season.^[28] He were appointed as the permanent head coach of Penang for the 2024-25 season.^[29]

International Senior Goals

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	8 March 2001	Hong Kong, Hong Kong	Hong Kong	2–0	Won	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)
2.	8 March 2001	Hong Kong, Hong Kong	Hong Kong	2–0	Won	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)
3.	25 March 2001	Doha, Qatar	Palestine	4–3	Won	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)
4.	25 March 2001	Doha, Qatar	Palestine	4–3	Won	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)
5.	11 December 2002	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Cambodia	5–0	Won	Friendly
6.	18 December 2002	Singapore, Singapore	Singapore	0–4	Won	2002 Tiger Cup Group Stage
7.	20 December 2002	Singapore, Singapore	Thailand	3–1	Won	2002 Tiger Cup Group Stage
8.	12 July 2004	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Singapore	2–0	Won	Friendly
9.	21 June 2007	Petaling Jaya, Malaysia	United Arab Emirates	1–3	Loss	Friendly

Honours

Club

FCSR Haguenau

• Championnat de France amateur 2 : 2000^[30]

Kedah FA

• Liga Perdana 2 : 2002
• Liga Perdana 1 : runner-up 2003
• Malaysia Premier League : 2005-06

Selangor FA

• Malaysia Cup : 2008 runner-up
• Malaysia FA Cup : 2008 runner-up

Kelantan FA

• Malaysia Super League : runner-up 2010
• Malaysia Cup : 2010

International

Malaysia U-23

• SEA Games : silver 2001;^[18] bronze 2003

Individual

• SEA Games Top Scorer : 2001

Manager

Penang U-21

• Sukma Games : silver 2022^[31]

References

1. Ahmad Rizal Ahmad Rakhli - Soccerway.
2. Malaysia - Record International Players - RSSSF.
3. "Many went – but few succeeded". The Star. Archived from the original on 31 August 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
4. "AKMAL RIZAL, LEGENDA BOLA SEPAK MALAYSIA YANG SEMAKIN DILUPAKAN" (in Malay). Orang Kita. 2 May 2019. Archived from the original on 19 May 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
5. "Prêts 1999/2000" (in French). Racingstub. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
6. "Prêts 2000/2001" (in French). Racingstub. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
7. "RCS - Zagreb 2-0" (in French). Racingstub.com. 20 May 2000. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
8. "Mengapa Akmal Rizal pulang ke Malaysia setelah bermain di Liga Perancis?" (in Malay). Arena Bola Sepak. Archived from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
9. Malaysia 2002 - RSSSF.
10. Malaysia 2003 - RSSSF.
11. "General Information for Selangor FA in 2006/07". National Football Teams.com. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
12. "General Information for Kuala Muda NAZA in 2009". National Football Teams.com. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
13. - Malaysia 2010-Liga Super 2010 - RSSSF.
14. Malaysia 2010-Cup Tournaments 2010 (Piala Malaysia) - RSSSF.
15. "Akmal Rizal Sertai Perak Kerana Mahu Ikut Cikgu Jan" (in Malay). M Star. 30 November 2010. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
16. http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2013&dt=0310&pub=Kosmo&sec=Sukan&pg=su_02.htm – Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine Akmal blast the goal
17. http://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/3875/transfer-zone/2013/11/10/4396882/transfer-news-akmal-rizal-signs-for-sarawak -Akmal Rizal join crocs
18. South East Asian Games 2001 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) - Match Details - RSSSF.
19. "Afro-Asian Games 2003". RSSSF. 20 August 2020. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
20. "Seleção Brasileira (Brazilian National Team) 2002-2003". Dennis David Woods RSSSF. RSSSF Brasil. 20 August 2020. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
21. "Malaysia vs Brazil". Sky Sports at Wayback Machine. 2021. Archived from the original on 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
22. "Brazil lawan Malaysia, Stadium Bukit Jalil (2002)". Chedinsphere at Wayback Machine. 2021. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
23. "Malaysia vs. China 2007-07-10". National Football Teams.com. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
24. "Dekman tekad lahirkan permata baru bola sepak negara | FourFourTwo". Archived from the original on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
25. "Akmal sedia tabur khidmat-Harian Metro". 6 November 2019. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
26. "Ujian getir nanti Akmal" (in Malay). Harian Metro. 27 December 2019. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
27. "Anak Datuk Nash sertai Piala Presiden Penang FC" (in Malay). Cakap Sukan. 6 January 2022. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
28. "Akmal Rizal dilantik pengendali sementara Penang FC" (in Malay). Berita Harian. 7 November 2023. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
29. ISMAIL, HAKIMI (17 January 2024). "Akmal Rizal jadi ketua jurulatih Penang FC". Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). Retrieved 26 June 2024.
30. "Rizal Akmal" (in French). Racingstub. 26 September 2017. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
31. "Akmal Rizal bangga pasukannya menang perak" (in Malay). Buletin Mutiara. 23 September 2022. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2022.

External links

• Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli at National-Football-Teams.com
• Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli's Profile at selangorfc.com (in Malay)