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Pakistani footballer (1938 – 2003)

Moosa Ghazi
Personal information
Ghazi in 1959
Full name	Moosa Ghazi
Date of birth	1938
Place of birth	Lyari, Karachi, British India
Date of death	12 May 2003(2003-05-12) (aged 64–65)
Place of death	Karachi, Pakistan
Position(s)	Left winger
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1955–1956	Keamari Mohammedan
1956–1958	East Bengal		(50)
1959–1961	Kolkata Mohammedan
1962–1963	Victoria SC
1964–1967	Dhaka Mohammedan
1969–1970	Dilkusha SC
International career
1955–1967	Pakistan
Managerial career
1986	Habib Bank
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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, he was renowned for his performances at the wing and goalscoring abilities.

Early life

Ghazi hailed from the football-infatuated locality of Lyari in Karachi in British India. He belonged to the Makrani Baloch community (also known as Sheedi) of African descent.

Club career

Keamari Mohammedan

Ghazi started playing football with Karachi club Keamari Mohammedan alongside his brother Abid Ghazi.

East Bengal

Ghazi played for East Bengal from 1956 to 1958. He scored 50 goals for East Bengal Club, being their highest scorer in 1956 and 1957.

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. During his tenure the club also won the DCM Trophy in 1957 and IFA Shield in 1958. He also held the record of most goals in the DCM Trophy, with 12 goals in single competition.

Kolkata Mohammedan

Ghazi featured for Kolkata Mohammedan in the late 50s, playing an integral role in the club's Aga Khan Gold Cup triumph over Indonesian club PSM Makassar in 1960 in Dhaka, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). His partnership with fellow national teammate Muhammad Umer was crucial during the team's success in the season.

Victoria SC

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.

Dhaka Mohammedan

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.

Dilkusha SC

In 1969, Ghazi helped newly promoted, Dilkusha SC, finish league runners-up. His teammates that season included the likes of national teammates - Muhammad Umer, Qadir Bakhsh and Abdul Ghafoor. He left for Pakistan following the Independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

International career

Ghazi was first selected by the Pakistan national team for the 1955 Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament, as a backup player for left winger Masood Fakhri.

On 5 August 1960, Ghazi managed to score a hat-trick in a record 7–0 victory over Thailand at the 1960 Merdeka Tournament. In 1961, he captained the national team at their second match during the Burma national team tour to East Pakistan, where they played a series of friendlies.

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.

Coaching career

Ghazi was head coach of the Habib Bank team which featured at the 1986 Asian Club Championship qualifying stage held at Colombo playing against Malavan, Saunders SC, and Victory SC. The team finished third out of four teams failing to qualify to the next stage.

Personal life and death

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. According to Abid, Moosa was previously offered Indian citizenship in the 1950s while playing in the country but he opted to sit tight. 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.

Ghazi died on 12 May 2003. He spent his last years in poverty.

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.

Key
‡ = Unofficial Fixture

List of international goals scored by Moosa Ghazi
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	5 August 1960	Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya	Thailand	1–0	7–0	1960 Merdeka Tournament
2				5–0
3				6–0
4	10 August 1960	Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya	Japan		3–1	1960 Merdeka Tournament
5	18 August 1960	Singapore	South Vietnam		2–2	Friendly
6	21 August 1960	Ikada Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia	Indonesia		2–5	Friendly
7	12 September 1962	Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya	Japan	1–0	1–1	1962 Merdeka Tournament
8	20 September 1962	Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya	Indonesia	1–0	1–2	1962 Merdeka Tournament