Pakistan may not be the best footballing country in the world, far better known for its cricketing team, but some very talented players have still originated from this country. In this article, Carl from betting website FindBettingSites compares Pakistan’s best football players, both playing currently and from their history.
Hassan Bashir
This Pakistani footballer used to play for Dordoi Bishkek and the Pakistan national team. Hassan Bashir played much of his career as the focal point of the attack, but he has been used pretty much anywhere in the front line, including false nine, winger and attacking midfielder. Unfortunately, repeated and substantial knee injuries proved to be too difficult to recover from, and he has retired.
Mohammad Nabil Aslam
Mohammad Nabil Aslam is currently a defender for Svebolle B&I and the Pakistan national team. Capable of playing anywhere in the defence, Aslam excels in the centre of defence, where his calmness on the ball, strength and defending skills can be highlighted. He has become known for his slide tackles and is one of the first names on the Pakistani team sheet.
Yousuf Ijaz Butt
Yousuf Ijaz Butt currently plays as a goalkeeper for Svebolle B&I and is sometimes referred to as Asia’s best keeper. He has an unusual playing style but his athletic ability cannot be denied by anyone. He has a knack for keeping the ball out of his goal in the most unlikely situations, shining the most when attackers bear down on him in his box or making unbelievable saves from corners. When Butt retires, there will be very big shoes for the next keeper to fill.
Haroon Yousaf
Haroon Yousaf was Pakistan’s captain and appeared a total of 53 times for the national selection. Usually, Yousaf played as a centre back, although there were times he was employed a central defensive midfielder. He was always reliable for the Pakistani team, a solid player who was very adept at transforming defence into attack. Despite being 46 years of age, Yousaf is still playing football, captain of PMC Cub Athletico Faisalabad.
Adnan Ahmed
This midfielder will probably be the most known name outside of Pakistan on this list. Over an eleven year footballing career, Ahmed made 41 appearances for Huddersfield Town and then played for various clubs in Europe. He also spent time at Manchester United in his youth career.
He was not born in Pakistan but his father was Pakistani so he was eligible for the national team. He accumulated 27 caps and manage to score 4 goals in those games, an impressive feat for a midfielder.
Saqib Hanif
The twenty six year old goalkeeper currently plays for Sui Southern Gas in the Pakistani Premier League. A certified shot stopper, he only has nine caps for Pakistan because Butt has proven himself to be an indispensable part of the team, but considering Hanif is five years younger, it is likely he will be the one tasked with replacing Butt.
Kaleemullah Khan
Able to play pretty much anywhere in midfield and attack, Kaleemullah Khan is a player who has broken several milestones as a Pakistani born player. He was the first player born in Pakistan to face an English team, Sunderland, and the first player to play in the USA, as well as scoring there too.
His main skills are his stamina, speed and dribbling ability. His numbers are good but he is sometimes criticised for his decision making in the final third as well as is finishing ability. However, he is certainly one of Pakistani’s top football names and at the age of 28, he still has time to improve further.