Rahim Ali

Rahim Ali (Bengali: রহিম আলি; born 21 April 2000) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Indian Super League club Odisha FC and the India national team.

Rahim Ali

Personal information
Date of birth	(2000-04-21) 21 April 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth	Ichapur, West Bengal, India
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Odisha
Number	11
Youth career
2012–2016	Mohun Bagan
2016	AIFF Elite Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2019	Indian Arrows	30	(1)
2019–2024	Chennaiyin	72	(10)
2024–	Odisha	0	(0)
International career‡
2017	India U17	3	(1)
2017	India U20	3	(1)
2019–	India U23	7	(1)
2021–	India	14	(0)
Medal record Representing  India SAFF Championship Winner 2021 Maldives Winner 2023 India
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:43, 24 September 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:22, 27 June 2024 (UTC)

Club career

Earlier career

Born in Barrackpore, West Bengal, Ali was part of the AIFF Elite Academy batch that was preparing for the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup to be hosted in India.^[1] After the tournament, Ali was selected to play for the Indian Arrows, an All India Football Federation-owned team that would consist of India under-20 players to give them playing time.^[2] He made his professional debut for the side in the Arrows' first match of the season against Chennai City. He came on as a 73rd-minute substitute for Rahul Praveen as Indian Arrows won 3–0.^[3]

Chennaiyin

On 31 May 2019, Ali signed with Chennaiyin and appeared in the 2019–20 Indian Super League.^[4][5][6] They lost to Odisha on 6 January 2020 and won a game against Hyderabad by 3–1.^[7][8]

International career

Ali represented the India under-17 side which participated in the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.^[1]

Ali made his senior international debut for India against Nepal in a friendly on 2 September 2021 in their 1–1 draw.^[9] He later participated in 2021 SAFF Championship in Maldives,^[10] in which they emerged champions. In March 2022, Ali was included in the national squad by coach Igor Štimac ahead of India's two friendly matches against Bahrain and Belarus as preparations of 2023 AFC Asian Cup final round qualification.^[11]

Career statistics

Club

As of 30 October 2024^[12]

Club	Season	League			National cup		Other		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Indian Arrows	2017–18	I League	16	0	0	0	0	0	—		16	0
	2018–19		14	1	1	0	0	0	—		15	1
	Indian Arrows Total		30	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	31	1
Chennayin	2019–20	Indian Super League	6	0	0	0	0	0	—		6	0
	2020–21		16	2	0	0	0	0	—		16	2
	2021–22		18	2	0	0	0	0	—		18	2
	2022–23		15	3	3	2	4	1	—		22	6
	2023–24		17	3	3	0	3	1	—		23	4
	Chennaiyin Total		72	10	6	2	7	2	0	0	85	14
Odisha FC	2024–25	Indian Super League	6	0	0	0	0	0	—		6	0
Career total			108	11	7	2	7	2	0	0	122	15

International

As of 27 June 2024^[13]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
India	2021	5	0
	2022	1	0
	2023	6	0
	2024	2	0
Total		14	0

Honours

India

• SAFF Championship: 2021, 2023
• Intercontinental Cup: 2023

References

1. Selvaraj, Jonathan (3 October 2017). "How 14,000 became 21: The story of India's history boys". ESPN.in. Archived from the original on 10 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
2. "Matos Names 25-member Indian Arrows Squad for Hero I-league 2017-18". The All India Football Federation. 29 November 2017. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
3. "Indian Arrows 3-0 Chennai City". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
4. "ISL 2019-20 HIGHLIGHTS, Jamshedpur FC vs Chennaiyin FC: Isaac Cancels Out Valskis Opener". Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
5. "ISL 2019-20 HIGHLIGHTS, Chennaiyin FC vs Kerala Blasters FC: Chennaiyin Beat Blasters in Dramatic Game at Home". Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
6. "ISL 2019-20: Coro strike earns Goa 4-3 win over Chennayin FC". Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
7. "Indian youngsters on target as Odisha beat Chennaiyin". Indian Super League. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
8. "ISL: Chennaiyin FC 3-1 Hyderabad FC - Talking points". www.sportstar.thehindu.com. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
9. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. "Player profile: Rahim Ali". National-Football-Teams.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
10. Mukherjee, Soham (9 September 2021). "SAFF Championship 2021: Everything you need to know". Goal. Archived from the original on 13 September 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
11. "7 new faces as Stimac names final list of 25 for friendlies in Bahrain". the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation. 21 March 2022. Archived from the original on 23 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
12. Rahim Ali at Soccerway
13. Rahim Ali at Soccerway

External links

• Rahim Ali at Sportskeeda
• Rahim Ali at Global Sports Archive