Ali Umar considers retirement in two years

Ali Umar wins the best player award of FAM awards 2006

Male', MALDIVES - National team and VB Sports striker Ali Umar is set to end his football career in two years time. Ali Umar, who won Maldives player of the year award last year, revealed his decision in an exclusive interview with maldivesoccer.com and added the decision is final and will not be amended.

He further added that he took the decision after much consideration and wants to retire from international level after next year’s SAFF championship.

“This is a decision I took after much consideration and this will not change” He said.

“I believe I have played enough for national team and this is the best time to end my international career”

The former Valencia and New Radiant star also stated that though he retires from international level he will play for VB Sports for another two years and that will be his last two years that will be seen in domestic action.

“I will play for VB Sports for another two years and will retire from club level as well”

Ali Umar was most noticeable when he was in Valencia and his partnership with Ali Ashfaag and Ali Shiham was considered the most effective striking force at that time. He finished as a runner up behind Ibrahim Fazeel in Haveeru’s footballer award 2005 and the next year he won the award in his first and last season as a New Radiant player.

He credit also goes back to SAFF championship 2003, where his goal against Bangladesh in the final took Maldives into the breath-taking penalty shoot out, where a missed penalty from inform midfielder Ashraf Luthfee denied the golden hopes.