Ali Nawaz Baloch PP (Urdu: علی نواز بلوچ; 3 July 1949 – 28 October 2022) was a Pakistani professional footballer who played as a striker. Renowned for his goal-scoring abilities and hat-tricks, he is widely considered as one of the greatest Pakistani footballers of all time.[1][2][3]
 Nawaz in 1967 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ali Nawaz Baloch | ||
| Date of birth | 3 July 1949 | ||
| Place of birth | Lyari, Karachi, Pakistan | ||
| Date of death | 28 October 2022 (aged 73) | ||
| Place of death | Karachi, Pakistan | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1969 | Dhaka Mohammedan | ||
| 1970 | EPIDC | ||
| 1970s | Emirates | ||
| 1970s | Pakistan Airlines | ||
| International career | |||
| 1967–1974 | Pakistan | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Rising through the ranks from school football, Nawaz represented clubs from Dhaka in East Pakistan and is one of the Pakistani footballers who represented clubs in the United Arab Emirates in the 1970s. He emerged as the top-scorer of the 1975–76 UAE Football League with Emirates SC. He later represented Pakistan Airlines in his later years. Nawaz also served as a coach in the United Arab Emirates for five years. Nawaz represented the Pakistan national football team from 1967 to 1974, captaining the team in the last year.[4]
In recognition of his contributions to the sport, Nawaz was honored with the Pride of Performance Award by the Government of Pakistan in 1995.[4][5]
Early life
editClub career
editNawaz started playing football since young. The school he attended, the Jamia Islamia Khadda Haji Sir Abdullah Haroon School, catered specially to aspiring footballers.[3]
Nawaz was also revered for his goal-scoring abilities in East Pakistan, where he played for Dhaka Mohammedan during the late 1960s, scoring a triple hat-trick while playing for the club against a Middle-Eastern outfit.[8][9][10] The feat earned him the name of 'Goal-making machine' after.[3][11]
During the 1970s, several local leagues were launched across the Middle East, where several Pakistani players represented club sides in these leagues and some of these players even coached the clubs’ new youth setups.[12] Subsequently, Nawaz moved to the United Arab Emirates, where he featured for Emirates SC in the mid-1970s.[4][13] He played for the Abu Dhabi based club for five years.[14][15] He emerged as the top-scorer of the 1975–76 UAE Football League season with 13 goals.[16] He also played alongside national teammate Ghulam Sarwar at the club.[17]
He played for Pakistan Airlines in his later years.[18] He also played for local Karachi club Meher Sports FC during the 1970s.[19]
International career
edit
Nawaz represented Pakistan from 1967 to 1974.[14] He captained the national team at the 1974 RCD Cup.[20]
Coaching career
editHe began his coaching career in the United Arab Emirates before returning to Pakistan where he was coach and manager of the Pakistan Airlines football team.[4][21] He served as a coach in the United Arab Emirates for five years.[9][14][15] Nawaz also took the Pakistan youth football team to UAE in 1993.[22] In 2001, he was member of the coaching staff during the tour of the Pakistan national team to England.[23][24][25]
Personal life
editNawaz's uncle, Dad Muhammad, also played as a striker in Pakistani football.[26]
During his stay in the United Arab Emirates, Nawaz was offered nationality of the country, which he reportedly turned down. He returned to Karachi in 1980 after coaching in the gulf.[3] He remained vice president of the Pakistan Football Federation for 16 years beginning in 1986 and as manager of sports in Pakistan Airlines football team, also coaching the club.[3][9]
Nawaz has cited Maradona as his idol, and was present in the crowd during the opening match of the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, during a match between Argentina against Cameroon.[8] He also served as the member of AFC Expert Committee from 1990 till 1993.[9]
Nawaz was awarded the Pride of Performance Award from the Pakistan government in 1995, due to his contributions to the sport.[4][27][28]
In his honour, the D Chaudhary Road in Lyari where the house in which Baloch was born, was renamed as Ali Nawaz Baloch Road on 4 August 2008.[3][10]
Nawaz received the AFC Distinguished Service Award in 2013, which was presented by FIFA President Sepp Blatter and AFC President Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa.[9][29] He also served as member of the Sindh Football Association,[3][30] and as match commissioner of the Pakistan Premier League in his late years.[31][32][33][34]
On 28 June 2013, Nawaz's nephew Saqib Baloch who was a practising boxer was killed in Lyari, allegedly by the Pakistan Rangers.[35]
Death
editNawaz died on 28 October 2022 in Karachi. He had been in hospital for the past several days after suffering a brain haemorrhage.[36] The KMC Stadium where Nawaz played often in the 1960s and 1970s while playing for the Pakistan national team and Pakistan Airlines saw a large gathering of former players, coaches, referees and officials in his funeral prayers.[4]
Honours
editIndividual
- 1975–76 − UAE Football League top scorer
- 1995 − Pride of Performance Award
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Hasan, Shazia (1 September 2008). "Documentary on Lyari's football legends unveiled". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Football: Kottan on". DAWN.COM. 22 March 2009. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Kick-off from Lyari". DAWN.COM. 22 December 2008. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Agencies (29 October 2022). "Former Pakistan captain Ali Nawaz Baloch passes away". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Pakistan Sports Board, Islamabad | Football". www.sports.gov.pk.
- ^ natasha.raheel (12 September 2016). "Unsung hero: Former Pakistani footballer Masood Fakhri passes away". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ Correspondent, Our (21 June 2023). "Kakri Ground ready to host games". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ a b Hasan, Shazia (6 December 2020). "COVER: MARADONA OF PAKISTAN". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Former Pakistan footballer Ali Nawaz passes away". www.geosuper.tv. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ a b Hasan, Shazia (5 August 2008). "KARACHI: Road in Lyari named after football icon". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "মোহামেডানের সাবেক ফুটবলার আলী নওয়াজ আর নেই" [Former Mohammedan footballer Ali Nawaz is no more]. Jugantor (in Bengali). 1 November 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ Ahsan, Ali (23 December 2010). "A history of football in Pakistan — Part II". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Senior PFF official alleges misuse of FIFA funds". DAWN.COM. 25 June 2002. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ a b c "Former Pakistan football team captain Ali Nawaz passes away in Karachi". www.geo.tv. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Former Pakistan football captain Ali Nawaz passes away". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "الأبطال.. من الهواية إلى الاحتراف" (in Arabic). AlBayan.ae. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023.
- ^ "Former Pakistan captain living below poverty line". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 7 May 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "HBL football team disbanded". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 31 May 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ Hasan, Shazia (16 December 2011). "Land mafia grabs historic Manghopir football ground". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 26 March 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Ali Nawaz unhappy with performance". DAWN.COM. 8 July 2010. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Lyari boys challenge national team for open contest". DAWN.COM. 19 June 2008. Archived from the original on 17 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Ali Nawaz, the legend of Pakistan". Daily Balochistan Express, Quetta. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Pakistan football star does a runner from Gigg". Lancashire Telegraph. 22 March 2001. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Pakistan football star does a runner from Gigg". The Bolton News. 22 March 2001. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ Fifield, Dominic (23 March 2001). "Pakistan player reported missing in action". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 9 May 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ natasha.raheel (30 June 2014). "The footballer within every Lyariite". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Pakistan football team captain Ali Nawaz passes away". Daily Times. 28 October 2022. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Pakistan Sports Board, Islamabad | Football". www.sports.gov.pk.
- ^ Wasim, Umaid (1 May 2013). "Four Pakistanis to receive prestigious AFC awards". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ Hasan, Shazia (27 December 2008). "PFF puts off Goal Project in Karachi: SFA fails to transfer land". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Officials to submit misconduct report to PFF". DAWN.COM. 28 August 2005. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "SSGC storm into PFF Cup main round". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ our.correspondent (1 January 2015). "Pakistan Premier Football League: K-Electric defeat Railways 1-0". The Express Tribune. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Akhtar slams ongoing National Women Football C'ship over 'loopholes'". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ Baloch, Saher (29 June 2013). "PPP accuses Rangers of extra-judicial killings in Lyari". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Haroon Malik, NC members express grief over the death of Ali Nawaz". The Nation. 29 October 2022. Archived from the original on 29 October 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
External links
edit- Ali Nawaz Baloch at National-Football-Teams.com