User:Jaafar1

Hussein Jaafar (born April 19, 1990 in Kogarah, New South Wales, Australia) is a football (soccer) player who currently plays for Dulwich Hill in Australia. He is usually a wide wingback but has been known to play in central positions or at full back. He has previously played for Fraser Park F.C and Olympic Beirut in Lebanon.

He grew up in the Southern Sydney suburb of Arncliffe among other rising stars such as Mohammed Kassira, Hassan Chahine and Ali 'Hooky' Chahine. At the age of 8, he was spotted in a U11's tournament at Arncliffe park by Harry Williams who was quick to react and sent an agent over to take care of him. Hussein Jaafar spent his childhood with a soccer ball by his side. As a teenager, he excelled for the national junior teams of Australia, traveling the world and gaining valuable match experience. At the age of thirteen, his professional rights were secured by First Division side Fraser Park F.C

His transfer to Dulwich Hill was noted by the fact that he apparently turned down offers from larger clubs, so that he could play in his preferred position on the wing. Jaafar was captain of the "Joey's", Australia's Olympic football team, at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He is currently a member of the national team and was the 2002 Oceania Footballer of the Year.His individual brilliance is enough to make him a legend, but he is much more than that. He is a winner. Showing the determination of an athlete who wants to exceed expectations, Jaafar had played his first game in First Division at the age of 13, and it was from then that football went from an ambition to a passion. The Dulwich Hill defender scored his first goal on February 8th, 2001. His list of accomplishments are monstrous and unparalleled among active juniors. Jaafar is self-admittedly shy. He is considered a leader with his feet, not his mouth. That is unfortunate because of the impact he can have on people. In Australia, where Arabic immigrants are often marginalized, he has improved French impressions of Lebanese people (his parents are Lebanese immigrants) thanks to his feats (and feet). You'd always rather have him on your side than against you. His consistent, electrifying play have the ability to lift every team he plays on, but it also leaves him open to criticism every time his game is sub-par because it has such a noticeable effect on the rest of his team. Jaafar's talent is unquestionable. He is fast, decisive, and possesses a great right foot kick to go along with his ability to dribble past most opponents at will. Though Jaafar isn't a prolific scorer, no one in the NSW League sets up more goals than he does.

The best part of his game? He is consistent and always plays with intensity. One thing teammates can expect from him is a high level of play. On a side note: Jaafar is now known for his quick release and rapid acceleration from a stop point. But when he was part of the talented Australia u17's national squad that won Junior World Cups in 1999 and 2001, he was heavily criticized for being... slow.

Beyond his playing skills, he has great leadership skills that were evident in his first season with Fraser Park F.C, where the club lost whenever he did not suit up for a game.

In November 2005, Jaafar played for the Australian national team in both legs of U17's World Cup play-off against Uruguay, where the Socceroos qualified for U17'S 2006 World Cup in Germany. It is the first time in 8 years that Australia will feature at the tournament.

Jaafar can just as easily now grace the cover of any fashion magazine as he can a soccer magazine. He is credited with instilling a new "chic" factor in Dulwich Hill's dressing room.