Rosa Kafaji

Swedish footballer (born 2003)

Rosa Kafaji
Personal information
Full name	Rusul Rosa Kafaji
Date of birth	(2003-07-05) 5 July 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth	Solna, Sweden
Height	1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) ^[1]
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	BK Häcken
Number	8
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2019–2021	AIK	46	(19)
2022–	BK Häcken	39	(17)
International career^‡
2018–2020	Sweden U17	20	(5)
2021	Sweden U19	5	(4)
2021–2023	Sweden U23	2	(0)
2023–	Sweden	9	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 July 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 July 2024

Rusul Rosa Kafaji (born 5 July 2003) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Damallsvenskan club BK Häcken and the Sweden national team.

Early life

Kafaji was born to parents who are originally from Iraq and her father moved back there after her parents' divorce.^[2]

Club career

Kafaji grew up in Akalla and started playing football in Kallhälls FF when she was eight years old.^[3] After that, Kafaji played for Bele Barkarby FF before she went to AIK before the 2015 season.^[3] Kafaji made her debut for the A-team in the Elitettan in 2019 and scored four goals and three assists in seven matches during the season.^[3] In the 2020 season, she scored 12 goals in 18 matches and helped AIK to be promoted to the Damallsvenskan.

International career

In February 2021, Kafaji was selected for the Swedish women's national team for the first time.^[4]

In 2024 she was called up to join the National Team in the two Nations League playoff games against Bosnia-Hercegovina on February 23 and 28. She started both games and scored her first goal for the Swedish senior women's team in the latter one.^[5]

Career statistics

International

As of match played 16 July 2024^[5]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Sweden	2023	2	0
Sweden	2024	7	1
Total		9	1

Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kafaji goal.

List of international goals scored by Rosa Kafaji
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	28 February 2024	Tele2 Arena, Stockholm, Sweden	Bosnia and Herzegovina	3–0	5–0	2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League

Honours

Club

AIK

Winners

Elitettan: 2020

References

^ "Profile of R. Kafaji". bkhacken.se. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
^ Niva, Erik. ”Aldrig känt att jag behövt vara någon annan än mig själv”, Aftonbladet, 21 mars 2021. Läst 21 mars 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c "AIK Fotboll skriver treårskontrakt med Rosa Kafaji". aikfotboll.se. 24 November 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
^ "Rosa Kafaji uttagen till Svenska Damlandslaget". ungdomsfotboll.se. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Rosa Rusul Kafaji - spelarstatistik". svenskfotboll.se. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.