A refugee footballer who fled Bahrain and was held in a Thai prison for months during a tense extradition stand-off between Australia and the Gulf state was granted Australian citizenship on Tuesday.

The Australian authorities granted, on Monday (March 11, 2019), citizenship to the Bahraini refugee football player Hakeem Al-Araibi.

The Bahraini footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi was granted the Australian citizenship on Tuesday.

An Australian newspaper said that the Bahraini refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi has heaped praise on his coach and teammates for orchestrating the publicity campaign that led to his release from a Thai prison this month after 11 weeks behind bars.

After some 11 weeks of excruciating limbo, and with numerous heroic efforts here in Australia and elsewhere to free the refugee footballer, Hakeem al-Araibi, now vindicated, it is time to look at the implications.

Australia’s meaning to Bahrainis has changed forever, and of course in the heart of Hakeem Al-Araibi, who said upon his return "I will be strong for Australia. I love Australia. It is my country".

The Agence France-Presse (AFP) said that ex-Socceroos captain Craig Foster, who was capped 29 times for his country, believes the fight to free Hakeem Al-Araibi was the most important battle of his life.