# Tareq Shihab

Tareq Shihab (Arabic: طَارِق شِهَاب; born 7 March 2001) is a professional footballer currently playing as a midfielder for Icelandic side HK. Born in the Netherlands and raised in England, he represents the Yemen national team.

## Early life

Shihab was born in the Dutch city of Utrecht to Yemeni parents, and moved to Brighton, England at the age of two.

## Club career

After a trial, he joined the academy of professional side Brighton & Hove Albion in August 2014. Having made his debut for Brighton's under-18 team in the 2016–17 season, Shihab continued to progress through the academy until September 2019, when he was sent on a four-month loan to Southern Football League side Tamworth. Upon signing, Tamworth manager Gary Smith described Shihab as a "good technician, good with the ball", and that he was a "great addition to our squad". Having made his debut in the 3–0 Southern Football League Cup win over Barwell on 10 September, he only featured once more for the club before returning to Brighton & Hove Albion at the expiration of the deal on 4 January 2020.
Having been released by Brighton at the conclusion of the 2019–20 season, Shihab moved to the United States, enrolling at the Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and joined their soccer team, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He finished the 2021 season with thirteen appearances, in which he started two, and one assist against the George Washington Revolutionaries on 12 October.
On his return to England, he joined Isthmian League side Whitehawk, and went on to make three appearances for the team in the 2021–22 season.
After a short spell with Newhaven, he began to train with Icelandic 1. deild karla club Grótta in November 2022, before making the move to the Seltjarnarnes-based club ahead of the 2023 season, signing a two-year deal. Following two seasons with Grotta, Shihab moved to Besta deild karla side HK in August 2024.

## International career

Shihab represented England from under-15 to under-17 level, being named on the bench on 8 November 2017 in a 3–2 win against Portugal, before making his debut and playing ninety minutes in a 2–1 win over Russia three days later.
Shihab is of Yemeni descent, and was called up to a training camp with the Yemen national football team in May 2022. He received another call up in December of the same year, but voiced concerns of picking up an injury, and left the squad prematurely to return to England. On 9 December 2024, he made his international debut with Yemen, appearing in the 1-1 friendly game draw against Kuwait. A week after, he was named in Yemen's 26-man squad for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 11 October 2024.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2019–20 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tamworth (loan) | 2019–20 | Southern Football League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Whitehawk | 2021–22 | Isthmian League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Newhaven | 2022–23 | SCFL | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| Grótta | 2023 | 1. deild karla | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Grótta | 2024 | 1. deild karla | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Grótta | Total | Total | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| HK | 2024 | Besta deild karla | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 41 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 48 | 1 |

#### Notes

* ↑ Appearances in the Southern Football League Cup
* ↑ Appearances in FA Cup qualification
* ↑ One appearance in the Sussex RUR Cup, one appearance in the Peter Bentley Challenge Cup
* 1 2 Appearances in the Icelandic Cup

### International

    As of 20 January 2025
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Yemen | 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| Yemen | 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 2 | 0 |