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East Bengal FC have extended the Jordanian defender Hijazi Maher's contract for the next two years. Hijazi was one of the better players for East Bengal last season and was named defender of the tournament in the victorious Kalinga Super Cup 2024.
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The 26-year-old defender has so far played 1,938 minutes across 22 matches (17 in the ISL and 5 in the Kalinga Super Cup). The towering left-footed defender recorded fantastic numbers in last season’s Indian Super League, which include the second-highest clearances (99), the second-highest headed clearances (58) and the second-most blocks (22). Besides, his tally of 14 clearances in East Bengal’s away fixture against Mumbai City FC is the record for the most clearances by a player in a single ISL 2023-24 match.
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In addition to his defensive solidity, Hijazi displayed his scoring prowess by netting two goals in
the Kalinga Super Cup.
“East Bengal holds a special place in my heart. I’ve experienced many special moments with this great club and I can
feel how much the fans love me. They give me a lot of energy for every game and I always try to make them happy in return. The Kalinga Super Cup was the first trophy I won outside Jordan. We want to scale even greater heights next season. I would like to thank Coach Carles and the Emami East Bengal management for trusting my abilities. I can’t wait to return to
Kolkata,” Hijazi stated.