Abdullah Rahi
Pakistani footballer (1938–2026)
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Abdullah Rahi (Urdu: عبداللہ راہی; 1938 – 23 April 2026) was a Pakistani footballer who played as an inside forward. He represented the Pakistan national team in the 1960s, and was member of the national squad which finished finalists at the 1962 Merdeka Tournament.
|
Rahi in 1959 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1938 | ||
| Place of birth | Unclear[a] | ||
| Date of death | 23 April 2026 (aged 87–88) | ||
| Place of death | Multan, Pakistan | ||
| Position | Inside forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1958–1959 | Karachi | ||
| 1960 | East Pakistan | ||
| 1960–1970 | Dacca Division | ||
| 1960–1961 | Dhaka Mohammedan | ||
| 1962–1963 | Victoria SC | ||
| 1963 | Dhaka Wanderers | ||
| 1964–1970 | Dhaka Mohammedan | ||
| 1971–? | Karachi Port Trust | ||
| International career | |||
| 1959–1967 | Pakistan | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
Karachi
Rahi started his playing career in 1954 for several Karachi based clubs such as Baghdad Sports, Sindh Government Press, and Keamari Muhammadan in the regional Karachi First Division Football League. In 1958, he embarked in a tour to Saudi Arabia with Karachi Kickers.[1][5][6][7] He represented Karachi at the National Football Championship.
Dacca Division
Rahi later represented several clubs in East Pakistan at the Dhaka First Division League starting in 1960 when he moved to Dhaka Mohammedan.[1][8][9] He also represented East Pakistan and Dacca Division in the National Football Championship.[1]
He represented Victoria SC in 1962–1963.[1] And he also scored a goal against Young Taegeuk FA in the 1962 Aga Khan Gold Cup final winning by five goals to one.[10] The next year, he represented Dhaka Wanderers as a guest player and helped the side finish runner-up at the Aga Khan Gold Cup.[11]
Upon his return to Dhaka Mohammedan, he captained the side in 1967.[1] And In 1969, Rahi helped Dhaka Mohammedan win the league title as unbeaten champions. His attacking partnership with Golam Sarwar Tipu, Pratap Shankar Hazra, and fellow Pakistan national team forward Ali Nawaz Baloch being integral to their success that season.[12]
Karachi Port Trust
After Bangladesh gained independence in 1971, Rahi played with Karachi Port Trust.
International career
In 1959, Rahi was first selected of the Pakistan national team for a tour to Burma.[1] The same year he participated at the 1960 AFC Asian Cup qualification in Ernakulam, India.[1][13] Rahi recorded the winning goal at the 13th minute in Pakistan's first official victory over India, during the 1960 AFC Asian Cup qualification.[14][15][16]
In 1960, Rahi managed to score in a record 7–0 victory over Thailand at the 1960 Merdeka Tournament.[17] The next year he played against Burma in a home test series.[1]
In 1962, Rahi was member of the national squad which finished runners-up at the 1962 Merdeka Tournament after falling in the final against Indonesia by 1–2.[18] The next year he played against China in a friendly, and also appeared against Iran at the 1964 Summer Olympics qualification.[1] In 1964, he was part of the national squad which toured China, and in 1965 he toured Ceylon, and later Iran during the 1965 RCD Cup.[1] In 1967, Rahi played his last international matches in a test series against Saudi Arabia scoring a goal in a 2–4 loss.[19]
Personal life and death
Career statistics
- Scores and results list Pakistan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Rahi goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 December 1959 | Maharaja College Stadium, Kochi, India |  India |
1–0 | 1–0 | 1960 AFC Asian Cup qualification | [14][15] |
| 2 | 5 August 1960 | Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaya |  Thailand |
7–0 | 1960 Merdeka Tournament | [17] | |
| 3 | 21 March 1967 | Sukkur Municipal Stadium, Sukkur, Pakistan |  Saudi Arabia |
2–4 | Friendly | [19] |
Honours
Victoria SC
Dhaka Mohammedan
- Dhaka First Division League: 1961, 1969
- Aga Khan Gold Cup: 1961
- Independence Day Tournament: 1960, 1961
Dhaka Wanderers
- Dhaka First Division League: runner-up: 1963
- Aga Khan Gold Cup: 1963
- Independence Day Tournament: 1963
Pakistan
- Merdeka Tournament runner-up: 1962