Abdul Rasaq Akeem
Singaporean footballer (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Abdul Rasaq Ishiekwene Akeemⓘ (born 16 June 2001), commonly known as Abdul Rasaq, is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays as a forward or a winger for Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors, and the Singapore national team.
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Abdul Rasaq warming up for Lion City Sailors in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Abdul Rasaq Ishiekwene Akeem | ||
| Date of birth | 16 June 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Singapore | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lion City Sailors | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| NFA | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2022 | Young Lions | 32 | (6) |
| 2023– | Lion City Sailors | 23 | (12) |
| 2026 | → Albirex Niigata (S) (loan) | 13 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019–2022 | Singapore U19 | 11 | (0) |
| 2019– | Singapore U22 | 1 | (0) |
| 2023– | Singapore U23 | 7 | (0) |
| 2024– | Singapore | 6 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:14, 3 November 2019 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 17:14, 14 December 2024 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Young Lions
Abdul Rasaq was promoted from the National Football Academy to the Singapore Premier League club, Young Lions ahead of the 2019 season. He scored his first professional career goal against Geylang International on 18 August 2019. In the 2022 season, Abdul Rasaq was featured in most of the matches scoring four goals throughout the season. He amassed a total of 32 appearances and 6 goals throughout his time at the club.
Lion City Sailors
After completing his National Service with the Singapore Police Force, Abdul Rasaq left Young Lions to join Lion City Sailors ahead of the 2023 season.[1] On 10 April 2023, he scored his first brace of his career in a 5–0 win against Hougang United. Abdul Rasaq would go on to have a breakout season scoring 10 goals in 18 league matches becoming the joint local top goalscorer alongside teammate, Shawal Anuar. He then suffered a long term injury in late August 2023 and was not featured in the 2023 Singapore Cup and the 2023–24 AFC Champions League for the club.
Abdul Rasaq made his return on 14 September 2024 during the 2024–25 season where he scored his first goal on the season by converting a penalty in a 6–0 win over Tanjong Pagar United. In the next match against Balestier Khalsa on 22 September, he scored in a 3–1 win. Despite Maxime Lestienne's equaliser in the 91st minute of the 2025 AFC Champions League Two final against Sharjah, the Sailors finished as a runner-up after conceding in the 97th minute to finish the game in a 1–2 defeat.[2]
Loan to Albirex Niigata (S)
On 15 January 2026, Abdul Rasaq joined Albirex Niigata (S) on loan for the remainder of the 2025–26 season.[3]
International career
Abdul Rasaq was born to a Nigerian father and Singaporean mother. He is a practicing Muslim.
Abdul Rasaq made his Singapore national team debut on 14 November 2024 in a 3–2 win over Myanmar.
Career statistics
Club
- As of 22 May 2025[4]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Young Lions | 2019 | Singapore Premier League | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| 2020 | Singapore Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | Singapore Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022 | Singapore Premier League | 16 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 5 | |
| Total | 29 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 6 | ||
| Lion City Sailors | 2023 | Singapore Premier League | 18 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 10 |
| 2024–25 | Singapore Premier League | 18 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 [a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 4 | |
| 2025–26 | Singapore Premier League | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 [b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | |
| Total | 39 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 15 | ||
| Albirex Niigata (S) | 2025–26 | Singapore Premier League | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 |
| Total | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 78 | 21 | 9 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 103 | 24 | ||
- Notes
- 5 in ASEAN Club Championship and 4 in AFC Champions League Two
- 3 in ASEAN Club Championship and 4 in AFC Champions League Two
International statistics
U23 International caps
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 March 2023 | Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore |  Hong Kong | 0–1 (lost) | Merlion Cup |
| 2 | 26 March 2023 | Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore |  Cambodia | 1–2 (lost) | Merlion Cup |
| 3 | 29 April 2023 | Prince Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia |  Thailand | 1–3 (lost) | 2023 SEA Games |
| 4 | 3 May 2023 | Prince Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia |  Vietnam | 1–3 (lost) | 2023 SEA Games |
| 5 | 6 May 2023 | Prince Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia |  Laos | 0-0 (draw) | 2023 SEA Games |
| 6 | 6 Sept 2023 | Việt Trì Stadium, Phú Thọ, Vietnam |  Yemen | 0-3 (lost) | 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification |
| 7 | 9 Sept 2023 | Việt Trì Stadium, Phú Thọ, Vietnam |  Guam | 1-1 (draw) | 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification |
U22 International caps
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 October 2019 | Bishan Stadium, Bishan, Singapore |  United Arab Emirates | 0-3 (lost) | Friendly |
U19 International caps
Honours
Lion City Sailors
- AFC Champions League Two runner-up: 2024–25
- Singapore Premier League: 2024–25
- Singapore Cup: 2023, 2024–25, 2025–26
- Singapore Community Shield: 2024; runner-up: 2025