Moosa Ghazi (Urdu: موسیٰ غازی; 1938 – 12 May 2003) was a Pakistani footballer who played as a left winger. A former captain, Ghazi represented the Pakistan national football team in the 1960s, and was member of the national squad which finished finalists at the 1962 Merdeka Tournament. Considered as one of the earliest legends in Pakistan football history,[1][2][3][4][5] he was renowned for his performances at the wing and goalscoring abilities.[6]
Ghazi played for East Bengal from 1956 to 1958.[6][16][17] He scored 50 goals for East Bengal Club, being their highest scorer in 1956 and 1957.[6]
He scored a brilliant goal which enabled East Bengal to beat Hyderabad City Police in the 1956–57 Durand Cup final, making a solo run past the defenders and scoring to make it 2–0 as East Bengal held onto the scoreline and won their third Durand Cup title.[18][19][20] During his tenure the club also won the DCM Trophy in 1957 and IFA Shield in 1958.[6] He also held the record of most goals in the DCM Trophy, with 12 goals in single competition.[6][21]
Ghazi played for Victoria SC in Dhaka from 1962 to 1963. His best season at the club came in 1962, partnering national teammate Muhammad Umer in attack to win the Dhaka League, Independence Day Cup, Mohammad Ali Bogra Shield and Aga Khan Gold Cup.[24][25]
Dhaka Mohammedan
Ghazi standing at the far right with Dhaka Mohammedan in 1966.
Ghazi also represented Dhaka Mohammedan in East Pakistan in the 1960s. During the Aga Khan Gold Cup in Dhaka before 1971, when the opponent side Karachi Port Trust were leading the match, Ghazi representing Dhaka Mohammedan, reportedly incited the fans to raid the pitch.[26]
In the next edition of the tournament where Pakistan participated, he played a crucial role in the 1962 Merdeka Tournament scoring several goals, as Pakistan ended runner up after falling to Singapore by 1–2 in the final. He scored the first goal of the match at the 28th minute, until the reportedly less dominant opponent side managed to overcome the score.[32][33]
After the fall of Dhaka in 1971, both Moosa and his brother Abid Ghazi were arrested by the Indian Army and made prisoners of war.[35] According to Abid, Moosa was previously offered Indian citizenship in the 1950s while playing in the country but he opted to sit tight.[36] Moosa has also been reportedly described contrasting to his calm brother, often engaging in controversies and quarreling with referees and linesmen until eventually reconciling at the finalisation of the matches.[26][23]
Ghazi died on 12 May 2003.[37][36][a] He spent his last years in poverty.[38]
Career statistics
International goals
Note: Exact figures of Pakistani players before 1989 are not yet known and yet to be researched. Below are goals recorded.
^InpaperMagazine, From (13 January 2013). "In-depth: Pakistan football". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
^ abSaha, Rupak (2000). Itihase East Bengal (in Bengali). Kolkata: Deep. p. 200.
^Mukherjee, Kumar (2002). The Story of Football. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 72. ISBN978-81-230-0782-3. ... skippered by Olympian stopper-back Abdus Salam of Hyderabad was an outstanding combination of talent. Abid, Yemani, Rahamatulla, Syed Ahmed and Pakistan's Gafoor, Umer and Moosa formed the nucleus of that impressive line up.
^ abcdKamruzzaman, Mohammed (1 June 2003). "অনন্য-অসাধারণ ফুটবলের মুসা" [Unique-extraordinary football Moosa] (in Bengali). Krira Jagat Magazine. Retrieved 12 March 2024 – via Facebook.
^Dulal, Mahmud (2020). খেলার মাঠে মুক্তিযুদ্ধ (transl. Liberation war in the playground) (in Bengali). Bishhoshahitto Bhobon. ISBN978-984-8218-31-0.
^"চলে গেলেন ওস্তাদ আলমগীর" [Ustad Alamgir has left]. newsbangla24.com (in Bengali). 3 January 2021. Archived from the original on 15 February 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
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