Moosa Ghazi

Moosa Ghazi (Urdu: موسیٰ غازی; 1937 – 12 May 2003), alternatively spelt as Musa Ghazi, was a Pakistani footballer who played as a left winger. Ghazi represented the Pakistan national football team in the 1950s to 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.

Ghazi hailed from the locality of Keamari in Karachi in British India. He belonged to the Makrani Baloch community (also known as Sheedi) of Sudanese descent.

Ghazi started playing football with Karachi club Keamari Muhammadan alongside his brother Abid Ghazi. He also represented Karachi at the National Football Championship till 1960.

Moosa (second from left, standing row) with East Bengal in 1958.

In India, Ghazi joined Calcutta League club East Bengal alongside Hussain Killer. He played for the club from 1956 to 1958. Where he scored a total of 50 goals for East Bengal Club, being their highest scorer in 1956 and 1957, netting 10 and 8 goals respectively in the Calcutta Football League during those seasons.

Notably, Ghazi 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 secured their third Durand Cup title. During his tenure the club also won the DCM Trophy, with Moosa scoring in the semi-final and the final. As well as the IFA Shield in 1958. He also held the record of most goals in the DCM Trophy, with 12 goals in single competition.

Ghazi standing at the far right with the 1960 Aga Khan Gold Cup winners Kolkata Mohammedan.

Ghazi featured for Kolkata Mohammedan in the late 50s, Ghazi played an integral role in his debut season with the help of his fellow national teammate Muhammad Umer, helping the team secure third in the league behind East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, with both players scoring 12 and 13 goals respectively. The same year, he helped the team win the 1959–60 Rovers Cup. Where he would go on to score a hat-trick in the final against former club East Bengal.

The following season, Ghazi played a key part in the Aga Khan Gold Cup triumph over Indonesian club PSM Makassar in 1960 in Dhaka, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

Ghazi also played for Dhaka League club Victoria SC in Dhaka 1961. He played alongside fellow Pakistan international, Muhammad Umer, helping the club finish runners-up in the Dhaka First Division League in his lone season. During his stay in the Dhaka League, he also represented Dacca Division at the National Football Championship.

Ghazi standing at the far right with Dhaka Mohammedan in 1966.

Ghazi transferred to Dhaka Mohammedan in 1962 and returned to playing alongside his brother, Abid Ghazi. During a match in the Aga Khan Gold Cup in Dhaka before 1971, when the opponent side Karachi Port Trust were leading in the match, Ghazi representing Dhaka Mohammedan, reportedly incited the fans to raid the pitch. In 1966, he helped Mohammedan win the league title as unbeaten champions and was the team's top scorer with 51 goals.

In 1969, Ghazi helped newly promoted club, Dilkusha SC, finish as runners-up in the Dhaka League. His teammates that season included the likes of national teammates Muhammad Umer, Qadir Bakhsh and Abdul Ghafoor.

In 1970, Moosa joined Dhaka Wanderers Club and helped the club finish runners-up in the league following the withdrawal of Dhaka Mohammedan. He left for Pakistan following the Independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

Ghazi standing fourth from left with Pakistan in 1955

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. He made his debut as starter in an exhibition match against India after the finalisation of the tournament, which Pakistan won 1–0.

Pakistan national team at the 1960 Merdeka Tournament. Ghazi sitting at the far right

On 5 August 1960, Ghazi managed to score a hat-trick in a record 7–0 victory over Thailand at the 1960 Merdeka Tournament. After the tournament finished, Ghazi was selected for the Eastern/Western Zones Combined football team for the proposed Asian All-Stars tour of Europe, which ultimately never materialised. Other Pakistan players selected for the combined team included Abid Hussain Ghazi, Qayyum Changezi, Ghulam Rabbani, and Hussain Killer.

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 Merdeka 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. In March 1967, Ghazi played a test series against Saudi Arabia scoring a hat-trick in the opening match. The series marked his final appearances for the national team.

Ghazi was appointed as 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.

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 his brother Abid, Moosa was previously offered Indian citizenship in the 1950s while playing in Calcutta 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, spending his final years in poverty.

Scores and results list Pakistan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Moosa goal.

Pakistan

• Merdeka Tournament
  • Runners-up (1): 1962

East Bengal

• Durand Cup:
  • Winners (1): 1956–57
• IFA Shield:
  • Winners (1): 1958
• DCM Trophy:
  • Winners (1): 1957
• Dr. H. K. Mookherjee Shield:
  • Winners (1): 1957

Kolkata Mohammedan

• Aga Khan Gold Cup:
  • Winners (1): 1960
• Calcutta Football League
  • Runners-up (1): 1960
• Durand Cup:
  • Runner-up (1): 1959
• Rovers Cup:
  • Winners (1): 1959
• DCM Trophy:
  • Winners (1): 1961
  • Runners-up (1): 1960

Victoria SC

• Dhaka First Division Football League
  • Runners-up (1): 1961
• Independence Day Football Tournament:
  • Winners (1): 1961

Dhaka Mohammedan

• Dhaka First Division Football League
  • Winners (3): 1963, 1965, 1966
• Aga Khan Gold Cup:
  • Winners (2): 1964 (shared with Karachi Port Trust), 1968
• Independence Day Tournament:
  • Winners (3): 1963, 1965, 1966
• All-Pakistan Mohammad Ali Bogra Memorial Tournament:
  • Winners (1): 1966
  • Runners-up (1): 1967

Dilkusha SC

• Dhaka First Division Football League
  • Runners-up (1): 1969

Dhaka Wanderers

• Dhaka First Division Football League
  • Runners-up (1): 1970

Individual

• Most goals in the DCM Trophy: 12 (with East Bengal)

• Most goals in the Dhaka First Division Football League: 51 (1966, with Dhaka Mohammedan)

• List of Pakistan national football team captains

• List of Pakistan national football team hat-tricks