Mustafa Amini

Mustafa Amini

Amini with Borussia Dortmund in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Mohammad Mustafa Castillo Amini
Date of birth	(1993-04-20) 20 April 1993
Place of birth	Sydney, Australia
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position	Central midfielder
Club information
Current team	AGF
Number	8
Youth career
2004–2008	Blacktown City
2009–2010	AIS
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010–2011	Central Coast Mariners	23	(1)
2011–2015	Borussia Dortmund	0	(0)
2011–2012	→ Central Coast Mariners (loan)	18	(2)
2012–2015	Borussia Dortmund II	57	(3)
2015–2016	Randers FC	29	(0)
2016–	AGF	18	(4)
National team‡
2009	Australia U-17	2	(0)
2010–2013	Australia U-20	23	(3)
2011–	Australia U-23	18	(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:44, 25 November 2016 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 January 2016

Mohammad Mustafa Castillo Amini, known as Mustafa Amini, (born 20 April 1993) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Danish Superliga club AGF.

Born in Sydney, Amini played youth football with the Australian Institute of Sport before starting his professional career with Central Coast Mariners in the A-League. In 2011, Amini signed for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund. After playing only for their second team, he transferred in 2015 to Randers FC.

Amini has appeared numerous times for the Australian U-17, U-20 and U-23 teams. He took part in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Early life

Born in Sydney, Australia to an Afghan father^[1][2] and a Nicaraguan mother,^[3] Amini grew up in the Western Sydney area. He attended Wentworthville Public School and Westfields Sports High School until moving to Lake Ginninderra College in the ACT while playing for the AIS, earning his Year 12 certificate in March 2010. Amini wears a distinctive 'afro' haircut and is fluent in Dari-Persian and Spanish.^[4]

Playing career

Club career

Central Coast Mariners

Amini playing for the AIS

Amini played for Blacktown City before being signed to an AIS scholarship. He was signed by the Central Coast Mariners on a two-year contract in the A-League.^[4][5] Amini made his debut for the senior team in a friendly against fellow Gosford club Central Coast Lightning in the which the Mariners won 7–1.^[6] Amini made his official A-League debut for the Mariners in a match against Brisbane Roar on 20 October 2010. His first goal came in a 3–1 away win against Gold Coast United on 9 February 2011.

Amini's excellent form throughout the 2010–11 A-League season attracted major interest from overseas clubs Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich. Subsequently it was announced that Amini was to spend two weeks on trial with Borussia Dortmund in preparation for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in July with a view of signing a long term deal with the Bundesliga club.^[7][8] Only days into his trial Borussia Dortmund publicly announced that the youngster had caught the eye of first team manager Jürgen Klopp stating that "he can definitely play football and is a really great talent.".^[9]

Borussia Dortmund

On 4 July 2011, it was announced that he had signed with Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund on a four-year contract. However, Amini would initially be loaned to Central Coast Mariners until 31 May 2012, making him eligible to play for the club during the 2011–12 A-League season as well as the group stage of the Asian Champions League. He played outstandingly well as Central Coast marched to the quarter-finals.^[10]

On 11 July 2012, Amini made his debut for Borussia Dortmund in a friendly against SV Meppen, scoring a goal in the 63rd minute en route a 2–1 victory for Dortmund.^[11] Amini scored his first goal for the second team in a game against MSV Duisburg on matchday 7 of the 2013–14 3. Liga season.

In March 2015, Amini announced, that he would leave the club when his contract expired in June, after playing there in three years.^[12]

Randers FC

Amini signed a three-year deal with Danish Superliga club Randers FC in June 2015.^[13] He scored the opening goal in the club's 3–0 UEFA Europa League qualifying second leg win over Sant Julià.^[14]

AGF

In June 2016, Amini moved to Superliga side AGF on a four-year deal.^[15] Amini enjoyed a good debut for AGF, with a goal and an assist in a 2–1 win away at SønderjyskE in the Superliga on 17 July 2016.^[16]

International career

Mustafa Amini training with the Australia national under-23 association football team in 2011.

Youth

Amini was first selected for Australia under-17 to play Turkey in a two-match series in April 2009 in Turkey.^[17] He made his Joeys debut in the first match of the series, a 1–0 loss, starting the match as a defender, but moving into midfield in the second half before being substituted late in the game.^[18] He also played a full match in the second leg, a 2–1 defeat.^[19]

Amini was selected to play for Australia U-20 in a four-match tour of South America against the Argentina U-20 and Paraguay U-20 teams from 3–19 April. He was then selected for the Australia U-20 again for the 2010 AFF U-19 Youth Championship. Amini scored his first goal for the Australia U-20 in the 2010 AFF U-19 Youth Championship in a 4–1 win over Vietnam U-20.

Senior

On 23 March 2011, after impressing on trial at Borussia Dortmund, Amini was called up to the Australian national side training camp by Head Coach Holger Osieck which was being held in Germany.^[9]

Amini was named among the 43 players squad to represent Afghanistan for 2014 AFC Challenge Cup preparations camp in Qatar, but he refused the call saying "I only want to play for Australia if I get the chance”.^[20]

Career statistics

As of 26 November 2016^[21][22]

Honours

Club

Central Coast Mariners

• A-League Premiership: 2011–12^[23]

Country

Australia

• AFF U-19 Youth Championship: 2010^[24]

See also

• List of Central Coast Mariners FC players
• List of foreign Danish Superliga players

References

External links

• Mustafa Amini profile at Soccerway
• Mustafa Amini – FIFA competition record
• Mustafa Amini – UEFA competition record