Soccer career ‘snookered’: Now Hassan’s dreaming of world titles and Olympic glory

When the Lebanese Muslim Association successfully hosted the first-ever Australian Muslim Golf Tournament on 14 December 2024, it was a historic day for the community. 

The event, which raised over $150,000 for the LMA’s charity arm, Feed the World, dispelled long-standing perceptions about Muslim participation in golf. 

Today I’d like to tell you about a talented individual – in another sport rarely associated with Muslims – making plenty of waves….this time, in the world of snooker.

Meet Hassan Kerde, an Australian Muslim whose journey to snooker stardom is as unexpected as it is inspiring. 

Born in Bankstown in southwest Sydney in 1983, Hassan was a natural athlete from a young age.

He grew up in Campbelltown before moving to Auburn at 14, where in no time he caught the keen eye of soccer talent scouts.

From the age of six, Hassan played as a striker, dazzling onlookers with his goal-scoring prowess.

At 16, he poached an astonishing 100 goals in a single season for Bankstown Sports, drawing interest from elite clubs like Marconi Stallions and Sydney United in the days of the old National Soccer League (NSL). 

His dream of playing professional soccer was within reach.

But Allah is the best of planners. At 18, Hassan’s promising soccer career came to an abrupt halt when he suffered a debilitating back injury during a trial match. 

The injury was devastating, leaving him bedridden for three months and forcing him to learn how to walk again.

“I was on the brink of signing a professional contract with one of the big NSL clubs when the injury happened,” Hassan told AMUST. 

“I had to give up my dream of playing soccer, and for a while, I wasn’t sure what my future would look like.”

Little did he know that a new passion was waiting to be discovered.

About 18 months after his soccer career was curtailed, Hassan was introduced to snooker by his father. 

He vividly recalls watching his dad perform trick shots at the local club and being captivated by the game’s precision and strategy.

“We were living in Bass Hill at the time, and my dad bought a snooker table; I practised and practised until I became good at it.”

“I guess I was naturally gifted,” he says. “My dad played before I was born, but I was basically self-taught.”

Determined to master the game, Hassan poured his energy into snooker, dedicating hundreds of hours of practice and competing in tournaments across Australia and the world. 

His reputation within the game quickly grew, achieving a career-high ranking of number two in Australia and currently standing at number seven. 

His hard work resulted in Hassan being runner-up at the Australian Open in October 2024 before undergoing a full shoulder reconstruction.

Despite this setback, Hassan made a stunning comeback in early February.

Just three days after removing his sling and with little or no practice, Hassan claimed the  2025 Asia Pacific Seniors Snooker Championship (for players over the age of 40) held at Forster, on the New South Wales mid north coast. 

This victory secured him a spot at the prestigious 2025 World Seniors Snooker Championship in England in May, an event held at the iconic Crucible Theatre, the pinnacle of snooker competition.

“To qualify for this event in London is a dream come true,” Hassan says. “Just as golfers dream of playing at Augusta and soccer players dream of Wembley, snooker players dream of The Crucible.”

Hassan has competed in the World Championship six times, playing in England, Egypt, Latvia, Thailand and Papua New Guinea. His best international result so far was reaching the last 16 in Latvia. 

Now the upcoming World Seniors Championship awaits. The 32-player draw will feature former professional snooker legends, including Jimmy White, already a multiple winner of this event.

“I hope I draw Jimmy White first,” Hassan laughs. “He’s a legend and the obvious one to beat in the entire tournament. They’ve run this competition on six occasions, and he’s won it four times.”

For Hassan, the trip to England is more than just a competition….it’s another  milestone in a journey that began in unexpected circumstances. 

He is currently raising funds to cover the $10,000-$15,000 cost of travel and preparation and has set up an online fundraiser which he hopes will assist his cause: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-getting-to-the-world-championships

“I want to get there at least a week or even 10 days early to overcome jet lag and get in plenty of practice before the tournament starts,” he explains.

For more than two decades, Hassan has balanced full-time work, mainly in traffic control (a demanding job with long hours) and more recently, driving his own Semitrailer, doing contract work for Boral Asphalt.

He sold the ‘semi’ to spend more time with his five children – Samya, Kayla, Mohammad, Sophia and Mariam.

“I’m getting older, and I want to enjoy life – spending time with my kids, working and playing snooker,” he says. 

“Snooker involves a lot of travel, but it’s something I truly love and the best part about it is that my wife Saide accompanies me on most of these trips and is my biggest supporter.”

Looking ahead, Hassan is excited about the future of cue sports in Australia. 

“Snooker has never been an Olympic sport because it’s not physically demanding like athletics or football,” he explains. “But the good news is that cue sports have just been accepted for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.” 

“Whether it’s snooker, billiards or pool, I would love to be part of it and represent Australia.”

From an exceptionally talented young soccer player to a world-class snooker player, Hassan’s journey is a tribute to resilience, faith and the power of perseverance. 

While his road took an unexpected and potentially devastating turn in his late teens, he has since embraced every challenge, proving that determination and passion can carve new paths to success. 

As he prepares to take to the world stage at the most famous snooker venue on the planet, Hassan Kerde carries with him not only the lessons of his past but also the hope of inspiring future generations to chase their dreams, no matter where life takes them.