Biography
Who is Shabbir Ali?
Playing career and national team
Shabbir Ali played as a striker for the Indian national team from 1972 to 1984. He captained the India U-20 team to a joint win at the 1974 Asian Youth championships in Bangkok. He scored five goals during that tournament. In the 1976 Merdeka tournament in Kuala Lumpur, he scored three goals against Indonesia in only 35 minutes. This remains the fastest international hat-trick by an Indian player.
He played for Tata Sports Club in Bombay before moving to East Bengal in the late seventies. Later, he joined Mohammedan Sporting and led them to nine trophies during the 1983-84 season. This included two consecutive wins in the Indian Federation Cup. He also spent one season playing for Dhaka Victoria Sporting in the Dhaka First Division League. Shabbir played over 100 international games and scored 16 goals for India.
Managerial success and titles
After retiring as a player in 1985, Shabbir became a coach. He earned a diploma from the Sports Authority of India and a B License from the German football association. He also finished a four-week course equivalent to an A License. As technical director for India, he led the team to a gold medal at the 1995 South Asian Games in Chennai. This was the first win for India in four South Asian Games.
He managed Mohammedan Sporting to become the Champion Club of India during the 1991-92 season. He then coached Peerless SC and helped them reach the Calcutta Super Division in one year. Between 1997 and 1999, he managed Salgaocar. Under his lead, Salgaocar won the Goa Professional League in 1998. They also won the Indian Super Cup and the National League title. The team also took home the Rovers Cup and the Durand Cup.
Awards and football academy
The Indian government gave Shabbir the Dhyan Chand Award in 2011. He was the first footballer to receive this top sports honor for lifetime achievement. In 2014, the Government of West Bengal awarded him the Banga Bhushan. He also received the Krida Guru Award from the same government in 2018.
He focuses on giving back to the sport through education. In February 2021, he started the Shabbir Ali Football Academy in Hyderabad. The facility began operations on March 1, 2021. This academy is affiliated with the Telangana Football Association. He uses his experience as a former player and coach to train new athletes in his hometown.
Birthday and age
Shabbir Ali was born on January 26, 1956, which makes Shabbir 70 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Shabbir shares the date with 33 other famous people.
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