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Taj Mohammad Sr.

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Not to be confused with Taj Mohammad Jr., who played for the Pakistan national football team in the 1950s

Taj Mohammad
Taj with East Bengal in 1949
Personal information
Full name Taj Mohammad Sr.[1][2]
Date of birth 1924
Place of birth Killa Batezai, Quetta district, British India (now in Pishin district, Pakistan)
Date of death Unknown
Place of death Pakistan
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Prince Club Quetta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1940 Hazara Club Quetta
1940 Sandemans Club
1940–1947 Kolkata Mohammedan
1948 Bhawanipore Club
1948–1949 East Bengal
1950s Muslim Club Quetta
1950s Afghan Club Quetta
1955 Karachi Kickers
1957–?? Pakistan Railways
International career
1948 India 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Taj Mohammad (Pashto: تاج محمد; born 1924) also known as Taj Lala or Taj Senior,[3] was a footballer who played as a defender.[4] Born in the Quetta district in the Baluchistan Agency in British India (present-day Pakistan), he represented India during the 1948 Summer Olympics.[5]

Early life

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Belonging to the Tareen tribe of ethnic Pashtuns, Mohammad was born in 1924 in Killa Batezai in the Quetta district (modern-day Pishin district) of Baluchistan Agency of British India.[3][6]

Playing career

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Mohammad (top standing second from right to left) with 1940 CFL winning Kolkata Mohammedan.[7]

Mohammad started his youth career with Prince Club of Quetta in which he played for 6 years.[3] In 1940, when he toured Lucknow with the Hazara Club and represented the Sandemans Club in the Rovers Cup in Bombay, he was called up by Kolkata Mohammedan where he formed a formidable defence along with Balochistan fellow Jumma Khan.[8][9][7][10]

In 1948, Mohammad joined Bhawanipore Club in Calcutta.[3] He played for East Bengal in 1948 at Calcutta Football League.[11][4]

Following the partition, Mohammad moved to Pakistan where he played for several clubs, including Muslim Club of Quetta, Afghan Club and Karachi Kickers. In 1955, he toured India with Karachi Kickers and also went to Tehran with Hazara Club.[3]

In 1957 he played for Pakistan Railways.[12]

International career

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Mohammad competed in the men's tournament at the 1948 Summer Olympics with the India national team.[13]

After representing India at international level, he migrated back to his hometown in Pakistan.[a][14]

Post-retirement

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After his retirement from the game, Mohammad worked in a government school where he retired in 1975.[3] He spent his later life in abject poverty.[3] The Taj Lala Football Stadium in Pishin is named after him.[15][16][17]

Honours

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Bengal

East Bengal

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Although some sources erroneously indicate that Taj Mohammad Sr. represented the Pakistan national football team later on, this is not the case. Taj Mohammad Jr. also hailing from Quetta represented Pakistan including during their international debut in 1950.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "SPORTS WORLD: Asia Cup qualifiers, SAFF Champ: PFF hires Bahraini coach". Brecorder. 29 October 2005. Archived from the original on 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  2. ^ Ahsan, Ali (23 December 2010). "A history of football in Pakistan — Part I". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "فٹ بال ہیروز کی دُنیا: پبرصغیر فٹبال کا بے تاج بادشاہ تاج لالہ سینئر" [World of Football Heroes: Taj Lala Senior, the Uncrowned King of Subcontinent Football]. Daily Dunya (in Urdu). Archived from the original on 4 January 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
  4. ^ a b "East Bengal Club – Legends". eastbengalclub.co.in. Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  5. ^ Basu, Jaydeep (13 August 2022). "Indian Football: Balai Dey, the Mohun Bagan legend who played for both India and Pakistan". scroll.in. Scroll. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  6. ^ InpaperMagazine, From (13 January 2013). "In-depth: Pakistan football". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 25 May 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  7. ^ a b Hassan, Mirza (23 July 2018). "Football and nationalisms in Bengal". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  8. ^ "Indian football: The tale of the unbeatable Mohammedan Sporting side of 1930s | Goal.com". www.goal.com. 30 March 2020. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  9. ^ Sengupta, Somnath (27 May 2011). "Legends of Indian Football : Mohammedan Sporting in 1930s". TheHardTackle.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  10. ^ Wasim, Umaid (26 November 2021). "Balochistan's boundless passion for football has nowhere to go but an event is keeping the flame alive". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Taj Mohammed". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  12. ^ "Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Tuesday 24 September 1957" – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Taj Mohammed Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  14. ^ "Indian Football: Balai Dey, the Mohun Bagan legend who performed for each India and Pakistan". thealike.com. Kolkata: The Alike. 13 August 2022. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Opposition alliance launches protest movement with Pishin power show". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  16. ^ "Pakistan: Opposition alliance launches protest movement against govt in Balochistan's Pishin". ANI News. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  17. ^ "Opposition alliance launches protest movement with Pishin power show". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 10 February 2025.

Bibliography

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