Theyab Awana Ahmed Husain Al Messabi (Arabic: ذياب عوانة أحمد حسين المصعبي; 8 April 1990 – 25 September 2011), or simply Theyab Awana, was an Emirati professional footballer who played as a winger for UAE Pro League club Baniyas and the United Arab Emirates national team. His playing style and ability drew comparisons to former Emirati international Zuhair Bakhit.[2]
.jpg) Awana with Baniyas in 2009 | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Theyab Awana Ahmed Husain Al Messabi[1] | |||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 8 April 1990 | |||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates[1] | |||||||||||||
| Date of death | 25 September 2011 (aged 21) | |||||||||||||
| Place of death | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |||||||||||||
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Winger | |||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||
| 1999–2007 | Baniyas | |||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
| 2007–2011 | Baniyas | 62 | (8) | |||||||||||
| Total | 62 | (8) | ||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–2007 | United Arab Emirates U17 | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | United Arab Emirates U20 | |||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | United Arab Emirates U23 | |||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | United Arab Emirates | 9 | (3) | |||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||
International career edit
Youth edit
Theyab played for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the first match of the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, against South Africa.[3] 2–0 down in the 90th minute of play, Hamdan Al Kamali converted a penalty to make the score 2–1 in the first minute of stoppage time; Theyab scored from a cross from Ahmed Ali to snatch a last-minute equalizer before the final whistle a few seconds later.[3]
Senior edit
Theyab was brought to worldwide fame for the penalty kick scored with a back-heel in a friendly match against Lebanon on 17 July 2011. In the 78th minute, with the score at 5–2, a penalty was given to the UAE. Theyab took the penalty and, halfway through his path to the ball, he turned around and kicked the ball into the goal with his right heel. The coach reacted badly on the effort, and Theyab was immediately subbed off for the bad reception he received for the penalty. The incident was brought to prominence after a video of the effort was put on YouTube, and currently has over 2,800,000 views.[4] The match ended 6–2 for the UAE.[5]
Death and legacy edit
Awana died on 25 September 2011, aged 21, in a car accident in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.[6] According to reports, his Audi Q7 SUV crashed on the Sheikh Zayed Bridge when he was returning to Abu Dhabi from Al Ain after the end of a training session for the national team. The report stated he was using his phone at the time of the accident. Awana died at the scene.[7][8] Rumors appeared that stated that his brother was also with him in the car during the time of the accident and entered the intensive care unit before dying several hours later. However, Baniyas Club denied this rumor.[9]
He was buried on 26 September 2011, immediately after the Asr prayer, in the Baniyas Cemetery in Shamkha, Abu Dhabi.[10] A month after Awana's death, the United Arab Emirates Football Association renamed a newly-built stadium in Dubai the "Theyab Awana Stadium";[11] a mosque in Kuwait was also named after him.[12]
Career statistics edit
Club edit
| Club | Season | League | League Cup[a] | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Baniyas | 2007–08 | UAE Division 2 | 10 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | 15 | 3 | — | 15 | 3 | |||
| 2009–10 | UAE Pro League | 19 | 3 | — | 19 | 3 | ||
| 2010–11 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 62 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 63 | 8 | ||
- ^ Includes the UAE League Cup
International edit
| National team[15] | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | 2009 | 2 | 0 |
| 2010 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 3 | 2 | |
| Total | 8 | 3 | |
- Scores and results list the United Arab Emirates's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Awana goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 September 2010 | Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |  Kuwait
|
1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | [16] |
| 2 | 2 January 2011 | Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |  Syria
|
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | [17] |
| 3 | 17 July 2011 | Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates |  Lebanon
|
1–0 | 6–2 | Friendly | [18] |
Honours edit
Baniyas
- UAE Division 2 Group A: 2008–09
United Arab Emitates U17
- GCC U-17 Championship: 2006
United Arab Emirates U19
United Arab Emirates U23
- GCC U-23 Championship: 2010
- Asian Games Silver Medal: 2010
References edit
- ^ a b "Theyab Awana". Global Sports Archive. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
- ^ "Zuhair Bakhit: Theyab Awana is my successor in the stadiums". United Arab Emirates: Al Khaleej. 1 November 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ a b "Theyab Awana Restore UAE Hope in FIFA U-20". Khaleej Times. United Arab Emirates. 27 September 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ "Theyab Awana scores backheel – Penalty kick". YouTube. Al3inawi10. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ "United Arab Emirates football player Theyab Awana dies in a car crash while driving to Abu Dhabi". Fox Sports. Australia. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
- ^ "UAE and Bani Yas player Theyab Awana dies after car accident". United Arab Emirates: Sport 360. 26 September 2011. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
- ^ "Theyab Awana dies in car accident near Abu Dhabi". United Arab Emirates: The National. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
- ^ "Bani Yas club denies the rumor of the Awana brother death". United Arab Emirates: Al Ittihad. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
- ^ "Theyab Awana mourned by thousands at funeral". United Arab Emirates: The National. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
- ^ "Theyab Awana Stadium". National Football Teams.
- ^ "قصّة صاحب اسم ملعب ذياب عوانة.. موهبة صاعدة سجّل هدفاً "غريباً" في مرمى لبنان.. ومات بعد شهرين". lebanonfg.com. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ^ "Theyab Awana Al Musabi Career Stats". UAE Pro-League.
- ^ "Player – Theyab Awana Ahmed Hussein Al Musabi". scoresway.
- ^ a b Theyab Awana at National-Football-Teams.com
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "United Arab Emirates vs. Kuwait (3:0)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "United Arab Emirates vs. Syria (2:0)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "United Arab Emirates vs. Lebanon (6:2)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
External links edit
- Theyab Awana – FIFA competition record (archived)
- Theyab Awana at Soccerway
- Theyab Awana at WorldFootball.net
- Theyab Awana at Goalzz.com (also in Arabic at Kooora.com)
- Theyab Awana at ESPN FC