Ahmed Khan (footballer)

Ahmed Khan (footballer) Biography

Ahmed Khan was an Indian footballer who participated in the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics, representing Team India. The last player belonging to India's glorious generation of barefooted footballers, who made a mark on the 1948 Olympic Games, he was also part of the Indian sides that won gold at the Asian Games of 1951. He also participated in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, which is best remembered as a gifted inside-left, who mesmerized spectators with his ball control. Also, he scored a spectacular goal against Yugoslavia playing barefooted. He passed away on 27 August 2017 aged 90, following age related diseases.

Ahmed Mohammed Khan was born on 24 December 1926 into a family of football players in Bangalore. His father, Baba Khan was the captain of local club Bangalore Crescent. Two of his uncles played for Mohammedan Sporting in Kolkata. He had three brothers — Amjad Khan, Sharmat Khan and Latif Khan, and all were cricket players. As a footballer, he played for East Bengal for a decade. He formed a part of the very famous five-member forward-line — the others being Sale, Dhanaraj, Appa Rao and Venkatesh, and this team was then nicknamed the 'Pancha pandavas', which means ‘5 Pandava brothers’. His close control was indeed outstanding and also earned him the nickname, Snake Charmer.

As a football player he started with Bangalore Crescent in 1938, and during his early days he played alongside his father in the team, who was a team member. As a footballer he gained recognition for the first time at 1948 Olympics in London, where India lost its first-round match. Bangaloreans - Raman and Ahmed played outstanding for the match, and though they lost it, left a mark behind. He won Rovers Cup with Bangalore Muslims. Then he joined East Bengal in 1949 and played for the club for the next 10 years. When he passed away in 2017, he was the oldest Indian football Olympian.

Published: September 26, 2018

Updated: September 26, 2018