Adnan Al Talyani

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Adnan Khamees Al-Talyani
Personal information
Full name Adnan Khamis Mohammed Obaid Al-Talyani Al-Suwaidi
Date of birth (1964-10-30) 30 October 1964
Place of birth Sharjah, Trucial States
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Position Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1999 Al-Shaab 563 (133)
International career
1982–1997 United Arab Emirates 161 (52)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  United Arab Emirates
AFC Asian Cup
Runner-up1996 AFC Asian Cup
WAFF U-18 Championship
Winner1982 WAFF U-18 Championship
Arabian Gulf Cup
Runner-up1986 Arabian Gulf Cup
Runner-up1988 Arabian Gulf Cup
Runner-up1994 Arabian Gulf Cup
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Adnan Khamis Mohammed Obaid Al-Talyani Al-Suwaidi (Arabic: عَدْنَان خَمِيس مُحَمَّد عُبَيْد الطَّلْيَانِيّ السُّوَيْدِيّ; born 30 October 1964) is a retired footballer from the United Arab Emirates who played as a forward for the country's Pro Football League, Al-Shaab CSC, and the national team. He is considered one of the best football players and goal scorers in the history of the UAE League and the national team.[1]

Early and personal life

Adnan was born in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on 30 October 1964. He started playing football in the streets of Sharjah in the 1970s. His older brother, Nasser Al Talyani, was a midfielder for the Al-Shaab CSC team. In 1980, he joined the team after impressing the owner at an annual football tournament where he scored several goals.

He has three sons, all of whom attended his retirement party in 2003.

Career

Talyani spent 19 years at Al-Shaab CSC. Despite having received multiple offers from other clubs, restrictions in his contract prohibited him from transferring at the time.[2] He was chosen for the UAE national team soon after Heshmat Mohajerani was hired as the trainer. He retired from international football in 1997, with the record for the most international appearances, with 161 caps and 56 goals.[3]

1990 FIFA World Cup Qualification

The United Arab Emirates' qualification for the 1990 FIFA World Cup remains one of the most significant achievements in the history of Emirati football, and Adnan Al Talyani played a pivotal role in the same. The UAE faced a challenging qualification process, beginning with a crucial first-round encounter against Kuwait. After a 3–2 defeat in the opening match, the team entered the third game of the stage needing a victory to stay in contention. Al Talyani scored the decisive goal in a 1–0 win, moving the team to the top of the group. He then contributed to a 4–1 victory over Pakistan, securing progression to the final qualification round.

The final stage featured six teams competing in a single-round tournament, with the top two earning places at the World Cup. The UAE managed only one victory in this stage, a 2–1 win over China, with an 88th-minute goal from Al Talyani. His second goal of the round came in a 1–1 draw with South Korea in the final match, earning the UAE the sixth point needed to qualify alongside them for the nation’s first World Cup appearance.

Al Talyani went on to represent the UAE in matches against Colombia, West Germany, and Yugoslavia.

1996 AFC Asian Cup

Six years after their historic qualification for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, the United Arab Emirates prepared to host the 1996 AFC Asian Cup in their country for the first time. The team featured members from the “Generation of 1990,” including Adnan Al Talyani and the goalkeeper Muhsin Musabah, with emerging talents such as Munther Ali Abdullah. At 32 years of age, Al Talyani played a key role in their performance, scoring two goals: one in a 3–2 victory over Kuwait, regarded as one of the most memorable goals in the nation's football history, and another in a 2–0 win against Indonesia.

The UAE advanced to the final, where they faced Saudi Arabia before a crowd of 60,000 at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia, two-time Asian champions and runners-up in 1992, held the hosts to a goalless draw through regular and extra time. Having played the full 90 minutes in the semi-final against Kuwait, Al Talyani was substituted during extra time due to fatigue. The match was ultimately decided by a penalty shoot-out, in which Saudi Arabia claimed their third Asian Cup title.[4]

Honours

Al Shaab

United Arab Emirates

Individual

Career statistics

International goals

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
114 August 1982Kuala Lumpur Indonesia1–12–1Merdeka Tournament
22–1
310 October 1983Riyadh Iraq1–12–21984 Summer Olympics AFC qualification
42–2
514 November 1983 Bahrain1–11–2Friendly match
610 March 1984Royal Oman Police Stadium, Muscat Kuwait1–02–01984 Gulf Cup
712 March 1984 Qatar1–01–0
824 October 1984Jeddah Oman4–08–01984 AFC Asian Cup qualification
96–0
1026 October 1984   Nepal3–011–0
117–0
129–0
1328 October 1984 Sri Lanka1–05–1
143–0
154–1
164 December 1984Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore India1–02–01984 Asian Cup
177 April 1985Bahrain Syria1–04–0Friendly match
182–0
195 August 1985 Algeria1–01–0Friendly tournament
2020 September 1985Al-Rashid Stadium, Dubai Iraq1–02–31986 World Cup qualification
2127 September 1985King Fahd Stadium, Taif  Iraq2–02–1
2224 March 1986Bahrain National Stadium, Manama2–22–21986 Gulf Cup
232 April 1986Bahrain National Stadium, Manama Saudi Arabia2–02–0
247 April 1986Bahrain National Stadium, Manama Qatar2–02–3
2521 September 1986Daegu Stadium, Daegu Pakistan1–01–01986 Asian Games
2623 September 1986 Thailand2–12–1
2725 September 1986 Iraq1–01–0
2830 January 1988Abu Dhabi Japan1–02–0Friendly match
297 February 1988 North Yemen2–02–11988 AFC Asian Cup qualification
3013 February 1988 India2–03–0
3117 March 1988King Fahd Stadium, Riyadh Oman1–01–01988 Gulf Cup
3217 November 1988Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah Jordan2–02–1Friendly match
333 February 1989 Kuwait1–01-01990 World Cup qualification
3410 February 1989Islamabad Pakistan3–04–1
3517 October 1989National Stadium, Singapore China2–12–1
3628 October 1989Darul Makmur Stadium, Kuantan South Korea1–11–1
3714 Feb 1990Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai Sweden2–12–1Friendly match
3830 May 1992Al Ain Bahrain3–03–11992 Asian Cup qualification
3920 February 1993Dubai Bulgaria1–31–3Friendly match
408 April 1993Kyoto, Japan Sri Lanka2–04-01994 World Cup qualification
4128 April 1993Dubai2–03-0
4230 April 1993 Thailand2–02-1
433 May 1993 Bangladesh1–07-0
446–0
453 October 1994Athletic Stadium, Miyoshi Japan1–01-11994 Asian Games
465 October 1994Hiroshima Stadium, Hiroshima Myanmar1–02-0
472–0
489 October 1994Bingo Athletic Stadium, Onomichi Qatar2–22-2
4911 October 1994Regional Park Stadium, Hiroshima Kuwait1–11-21994 Asian Games
503 November 1994Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi Qatar1–02–01994 Gulf Cup
519 November 1994 Kuwait2–02–0
5219 March 1996Dubai South Korea2–23–2Friendly match
5322 October 1996Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat Kuwait2–12–11996 Gulf Cup
5419 November 1996Abu Dhabi Uzbekistan2–14–2Friendly match
553–1
564–1
5726 November 1996 Syria1–11–1
587 December 1996Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi Kuwait2–23–21996 Asian Cup
5910 December 1996 Indonesia2–02–0
X1 April 1997Abu Dhabi   Nepal2–04–0Unofficial friendly
X4–0
6026 April 1997Sharjah Stadium, Sharjah Jordan1–02–01998 World Cup qualification
6127 September 1997Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi Uzbekistan3–13–2
6217 December 1997King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh Czech Republic1–61–61997 Confederations Cup

Legacy

Al Talyani’s contribution to the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the 1996 AFC Asian Cup Final victories has made him one of the continent’s greatest icons in the sport.[5]

Retirement

Talyani officially retired from football in January 2003. A testimonial match was played in his honour between Italian champions Juventus and an All-Star team of players from various countries.[6] He has since been named the UAE's Player of the Century.[7]

See also

References

  1. "Adnan Al Talyani: National Sports Day is a unique community event". Sharjah 24. 9 March 2019.
  2. "First professional season means major change for all". Gulf News. 12 September 2008. Archived from the original on 27 February 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2009.
  3. Adnan Khamees Al-Talyani - Century of International Appearances - RSSSF
  4. "Asian Icons: Adnan Al Talyani (UAE)". the-afc. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  5. "Asian Icons: Adnan Al Talyani (UAE)". the-afc. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  6. "Juventus for Al Talyani testimonial". Gulf News. 14 November 2002. Retrieved 23 September 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  7. "UAE backed to end goal drought against Kuwait". Gulf News. 5 February 2008. Archived from the original on 8 June 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2009.