Etzaz Hussain

Etzaz Muzafar Hussain (born 27 January 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Cypriot club Apollon Limassol. Born in Oslo, he played for nearby Langhus as a youth player, before moving to Manchester United in 2009. After two years in England, he returned to Norway with Vålerenga, but shortly after moved to Fredrikstad, where he made his professional debut. Hussain transferred to Molde in mid-2012 and won the Tippeligaen in his first season at the club. After winning four league titles and three Norwegian Cups with Molde across two spells, he moved to Apollon Limassol as a free agent in January 2023.

Etzaz Hussain
Hussain with Molde at the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League
Personal information
Full name Etzaz Muzafar Hussain
Date of birth (1993-01-27) 27 January 1993
Place of birth Oslo, Norway
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Apollon Limassol
Number 18
Youth career
000?–2009 Langhus
2009–2011 Manchester United
2011 Vålerenga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2012 Fredrikstad 32 (5)
2012–2015 Molde 78 (6)
2016 Sivasspor 8 (0)
2016 NK Rudeš 3 (0)
2017–2023 Molde 124 (22)
2017 → Odd (loan) 11 (3)
2023– Apollon Limassol 5 (0)
International career‡
2008–2009 Norway U16 9 (2)
2009–2010 Norway U17 10 (0)
2010–2011 Norway U18 10 (2)
2011–2012 Norway U19 11 (0)
2012–2013 Norway U21 8 (3)
2013 Norway U23 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 July 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 October 2013

Playing career

Hussain played for Langhus in his early days, before he transferred to Manchester United on 21 February 2009,[1] and signed a professional contract with United on his 17th birthday.[2] Even though Hussain only stayed in England for two years, and did not get any chances for the first team, he said to the Norwegian newspaper VG in February 2012 that "it was an experience for life" and would advice other Norwegian youngster to grab the opportunity if they had the chance.[3] In January 2011 he returned home to Norway, and signed for the Tippeligaen club Vålerenga.[4]

Less than three months later, Hussain signed for Fredrikstad, also a Tippeligaen club,[5] after some disagreements between Vålerenga and Hussain on the way forward.[6] On 14 August 2011, Hussain sent Fredrikstad to the semi-final of 2011 Norwegian Football Cup with the match-winning goal with only a couple of minutes left of the overtime, at the expense of Molde now managed by his former boss at the Manchester United reserves, Ole Gunnar Solskjær.[7] On 31 October 2011, Hussain scored his second goal in two matches, with the match winning goal against Vålerenga, the club that believed he was not good enough for Tippeligaen.[8]

Molde

On 27 July 2012, Hussain moved to Molde FK, reuniting with Ole Gunnar Solskjær.[9] He won the league with Molde in 2012 and 2014 and the Norwegian Cup in 2013 and 2014.

Sivasspor

On 7 January 2016, Hussain signed a 2.5-year contract with Turkish Süper Lig side Sivasspor.[10] With Sivasspor, Hussein was unable to avoid relegation to the second Turkish division. Following relegation, his contract at Sivasspor was terminated in mutual agreement on 4 July 2016.[11]

Rudeš Zagreb

Hussain signed for the second-tier Croatian side NK Rudeš, coached by the former Liverpool player Igor Bišćan, in October 2016.[12]

Molde return
Hussain in 2022

On 28 February 2017, Molde announced that Hussain had returned to the club along with the signing of Erling Haaland.[13][14] On 11 July 2019, he scored Molde's sixth goal in the club's UEFA competitions record 7–1 win over KR in the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round.[15] On 20 October 2019, he scored a brace in an Eliteserien game Molde won 3–1 over Haugesund.[16] On 31 January 2020, Hussain signed a new contract with Molde that will keep him at the club till the end of the 2022 season.[17]

Apollon Limassol

Following Hussain's release from Molde after winning the 2022 Eliteserien, Cypriot club Apollon Limassol announced on 20 January 2023 that the midfielder had reached an agreement to sign with the defending Cypriot league champions till May 2025.[18] On 24 January 2023, Etzaz Hussain formally signed with the Limassol club and chose to play with the number 18.[19] He made his league debut for the club on 9 February, coming on as a late substitute in the 4-3 home defeat to Karmiotissa.[20]

International career

Hussain played on youth level for Norway. As he has never appeared for Norway in a competitive match, he remains potentially eligible to represent Pakistan. In October 2021, he had declared his intention to play for Pakistan.[21]

Personal life

Born in Oslo, Hussain has discussed his Pakistani heritage in interviews.[22][21] His both parents originate from the city of Kharian in the Gujrat district of Pakistan.[21] He was also honoured by the Pakistani government at its embassy in Oslo during the country’s Independence Day celebrations on 14 August 2021.[21]

Career statistics
As of match played 18 July 2023[23]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Fredrikstad 2011 Tippeligaen 20241——243
2012 12321——144
Total 32562———387
Molde 2012 Tippeligaen 1022080—202
2013 2226130—313
2014 1916020—271
2015 27130112—413
Total 786171242——1199
Sivasspor 2015–16 Süper Lig 8000——80
Rudeš 2016–17 FavBet Druga liga 3010——40
Molde 2017 Eliteserien 13141——172
2018 2352071—326
2019 154208100255
2020 28800112003910
2021 272104100323
2022 182309200304
Total 124221213970017530
Odd (loan) 2017 Eliteserien 1130000—113
Apollon Limassol 2022–23 Cypriot First Division 5000——50
Career total 261363646390035749

Honours

Molde

References
  1. "Norsk 16-åring klar for United". dagbladet.no (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. 27 January 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  2. "Hussain skrev proffkontrakt med Man. United". dagbladet.no (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. 27 January 2010. Archived from the original on 23 January 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  3. "Slik gikk det med 2009-talentene som dro utenlands". vg.no (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. 13 February 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  4. "Etzaz Hussain fra United til Vålerenga". tv2.no (in Norwegian). TV 2. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  5. "Etzaz Hussain klar for FFK". fredrikstadfk.no (in Norwegian). Fredrikstad FK. 17 March 2011. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  6. "Her har FFK-talentet senket "sine egne"". vg.no (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. 31 October 2011. Archived from the original on 25 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  7. "Solskjærs læregutt sendte Molde ut av cupen". rbnett.no (in Norwegian). Romsdals Budstikke. 14 August 2011. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  8. "Kastet ut, senket VIF". aftenposten.no (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. 31 October 2011. Archived from the original on 2 November 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  9. "Fredrikstad selger Etzaz Hussain til Molde" (in Norwegian). tv2.no. 27 July 2012. Archived from the original on 15 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  10. "Etzaz Hussain Medicana Sivasspor´da". www.sivasspor.org.tr (in Turkish). Sivasspor. 7 January 2016. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  11. Etzaz Hussain at the Turkish Football Federation
  12. NEVJEROJATNA VIJEST IZ ZAGREBAČKOG PREDGRAĐA Nakon Igora Bišćana, u mali Rudeš stiže igrač Manchester Uniteda koji je maestralno zabio Dinamu! Archived 17 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine at Jutarnji List
  13. "ETZAZ BACK IN MOLDE FK". moldefk.no. Molde FK. 28 February 2017. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  14. "Håland klar for Molde FK". Molde (in Norwegian Bokmål). 1 February 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  15. "Molde 7-1 KR". www.soccerway.com. Soccerway. 12 July 2019. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  16. "Molde 3-1 Haugesund". www.soccerway.com. Soccerway. 20 October 2019. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  17. "Hussain tilbake i Molde: -Har skrevet under for tre år". vg.no. Verdens Gang. 31 January 2020. Archived from the original on 3 February 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  18. "Apollon FC announces the agreement in principle with Etzaz Hussain". apollon.com.cy. Apollon Limassol FC. 20 January 2023. Archived from the original on 24 January 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  19. "Etzaz Hussain transfer has been finalized". apollon.com.cy. Apollon Limassol FC. 24 January 2023. Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  20. "ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ ΛΕΜΕΣΟΥ vs ΚΑΡΜΙΩΤΙΣΣΑ ΠΟΛΕΜΙΔΙΩΝ". apollon.com.cy. Apollon Limassol FC. 9 February 2023. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  21. "Exclusive: Etzaz Hussain ready for Pakistan". footballpakistan.com. FootballPakistan.Com (FPDC). 21 October 2021. Archived from the original on 1 February 2023. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  22. Sarwar, Shazia (3 October 2010). "Årets vinnere av Blendprisen". Blend (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  23. "Etzaz Hussain". nifs.no (in Norwegian). A-pressen. Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
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