Atik Ismail

Atik Ismail (born 5 January 1957)[1][2] is a Finnish former footballer who played as a forward. He made 26 appearances in the Finland national team scoring 7 goals. Ismail was the top scorer of Finnish premier division Mestaruussarja in 1978, 1979 and 1982. In 1978, he was nominated as the Finnish Footballer of the Year. Ismail also played abroad, for example in Turkey and Belgium.[3]

Atik Ismail
Ismail in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth (1957-01-05) 5 January 1957
Place of birth Helsinki, Finland
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1976 HJK 20 (9)
1977 Kiffen 19 (14)
1978 HJK 21 (18)
1978–1979 Beşiktaş 16 (6)
1979 HJK 27 (15)
1979–1980 Waregem 2 (0)
1980 AIK 9 (2)
1981–1984 HJK 97 (55)
1985 Apollo – (11)
1986–1987 Koparit 17 (1)
Total 228 (131)
International career
1978–1983 Finland 26 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Personal life

Atik Ismail was born to a Tatar family in Munkkiniemi, Helsinki. He and his twin brother Adil Ismail were named after Turkish wrestlers Celal Atik and Adil Atan. His brother is also a former footballer.[4]

Children of Ismail are Can Heikkonen (b. 1982), twins Pele and Ali Koljonen (s. 1988) and Maria Koljonen (s. 1989). Sons Ali and Pele have also played football.[3][4]

For decades Ismail suffered from alcoholism. He sobered completely in 1990 and has since worked with helping fellow recovering addicts.[5][4] According to Ismail, his alcohol addiction switched to a gambling problem and he has had difficulty paying his debts from his small pension.[6]

In addition to sports, Ismail has published his poetry, worked as a nurse and been involved in politics. He was a candidate to the European Parliament in the elections of 1999 (Green League) and 2009 (Left Alliance).[4]

The Finnish press remembers Atik Ismail as a ”legendary footballer”, but also as someone who partly wasted his potential due to his alcoholism.[5][7][8][6][9]

References
  1. "Atik Ismail".
  2. Atik Ismail at WorldFootball.net
  3. Vuorinen, Juha & Kasila, Markku: Pelimiehet. Suomen jalkapallon pelaajatilastot 1930–2006, s. 99. Suomen urheilumuseosäätiö, 2007. ISBN 978-952-99075-9-5.
  4. Atik Ismail: Pelimies - omaelämäkerta. Minerva 2016. ISBN 978-952-312-371-7.
  5. Nurmi, Juha (2016). "Fudislegenda Atik Ismail: Minusta tuli alkoholisti 17-vuotiaana!".
  6. Jokinen, Juha Veli (2018). "Atik Ismail ajautui hedelmäpelillä 30 000 euron velkoihin: maksaa takaisin 377 euron eläkkeestä - "Ei sillä juhlita"".
  7. Hirvasnoro, Tarja (2016). "Jalkapallolegenda Atik Ismail suree: "Äiti ja isä eivät ehtineet nähdä raitistumistani"".
  8. Kaskinen, Miikka (2020). "Atik Ismail toipuu avosydänleikkauksesta – "En muista mitään kahdesta–kolmesta päivästä".
  9. Vuorensola (2018). "Jalkapallolegenda Atik Ismail: Päihderiippuvuus vaihtui peliriippuvuuteen".
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