Elias Hossain

Elias Hossain

Personal information
Full name	Mohammed Elias Hossain
Date of birth	(1962-10-10) 10 October 1962 (age 61)
Place of birth	Gopalganj, East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh)
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder, Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1979–1980	Abahani Krira Chakra
1981	Azad Sporting Club
1982–1983	Dhaka Wanderers
1984–1990	Mohammedan SC
1991–1992	Brothers Union
International career
1984	Bangladesh U19
1983–1989	Bangladesh
Medal record Representing   Bangladesh South Asian Games 1984 1985 1989
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Elias Hossain is a retired Bangladeshi footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He played for the Bangladesh national team from 1983 to 1989. ^[1] He also captained the national team during the 1989 South Asian Games. Elias is also the only player from Gopalganj to play for the Bangladesh national team. ^[2] He is currently working as an executive director for the Bangladesh Football Federation. ^{[3] [4]}

Club career

In 1977, the Jubilee Rangers took on Friends Club, which was the Gopalganj First Division title deciding match. Elias Hossain played as a substitute for Jubilee Rangers in that match. Many star footballers of Dhaka including Kazi Salahuddin and Ashrafuddin Ahmed Chunnu came to Gopalganj to play the match as, Jubilee Rangers lost 2–1 to Friends Club that day. Seeing the young midfielders technique, Abahani officials took him to Dhaka, to train with the club. ^[2]

Although, Elias was not able to establish his position in the starting XI, he impressed Abahani coach Ali Imam, who later sent him to Azad Sporting Club in order to get game time, in 1981. After a year at Azad, Elias moved to falling giants Dhaka Wanderers Club, where he also played for a single season. In 1984, Elias got his big move to Mohammedan SC, where he spent 7 years at. In 1986, Elias scored as Mohammedan defeated arch-rivals Abahani 2–0, in the Dhaka League title deciding match, thus, ending Abahani's aim for a fourth consecutive league title and break Mohammedan's 3 year title drought. In 1988, Elias was made Mohammedan's captain and led the club until 1990. ^{[2] [5]}

International career

Elias made his Bangladesh national team debut during the 1983 Merdeka Cup in Malaysia. On 5 April 1985, Elias scored his first international goal, which came in a 1–0 win over Thailand, during the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. ^[6] During the 1985 South Asian Games Elias managed to score again as Bangladesh put 8 goals past Maldives. However, during the final of the SAFF Games, he missed an open net goal during the game, and was heavily criticized by fans and media later on as Bangladesh lost the match 1–4 on penalties. ^[6]

During the 1989 South Asian Games, Elias captained Bangladesh as, they again took on India in the group stages. His midfield partner, Nurul Haque Manik helped Bangladesh take the lead, however, after a challenge from defender Rezaul Karim Rehan in the penalty box, Bangladesh conceded a late penalty. While protesting the decision, Elias pushed the referee in anger, leading to his ban from national football. After going through many complications, that game ended up to be Elias's last with the national team. ^[7]

International goals

Scores and results list Bangladesh's goal tally first.

Bangladesh

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	5 April 1985	Bangladesh Army Stadium, Dhaka	Thailand	1–0	1–0	1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
2.	23 December 1985	Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka	Maldives		8–0	1985 South Asian Games

Personal life

On 13 October 2020, Elias's mother Hasina Begum died at the age of 83. ^[8]

Since 2012, Elias has been the executive director of the Bangladesh Football Federation. ^[9] He involved with his hometown club Gopalganj Sporting Club, a club which was incepted in 2021. In 2016, he was involved in opening a football academy in his hometown Gopalganj. ^[10]

Honours

Mohammedan Sporting

• Dhaka League: 1986, 1987, 1988–89
• Federation Cup: 1983, 1987, 1989
• Ma-O-Moni Gold Cup: 1990

Awards and accolades

• 2013 − National Sports Award. ^[11]

References

1. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Elias Hossain (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Archived from the original on 2024-01-04. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
2. "তবু স্বপ্ন দেখেন ইলিয়াস". Prothomalo. 3 December 2016. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
3. "EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE". BFF. Archived from the original on 2022-08-12. Retrieved 2022-09-01.
4. "বাফুফে নির্বাচনে ৫ অধিনায়ক". Bangladesh Pratidin. September 20, 2020. Archived from the original on September 1, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
5. "Looking back into Bangladesh football in the 80s". Weekly Blitz. April 28, 2021. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
6. "SAFF Games gold medal, an illusion for the Bangladesh team". Weekly Blitz. May 2, 2021. Archived from the original on December 30, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
7. "ভারত পেল পেনাল্টি, বাংলাদেশ অধিনায়ক পেলেন শাস্তি". Prothomalo. 9 April 2020. Archived from the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
8. "মা হারালেন সাবেক ফুটবলার ইলিয়াস". DailyInqilabOnline. 13 October 2020. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
9. "কাঠগড়ায় শুধু ফুটবলাররা কেন?". MTnews24. February 24, 2016. Archived from the original on September 1, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
10. "গোপালগঞ্জে আরেকটি ফুটবল একাডেমি". Janakantha. 8 February 2016. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
11. "PM distributes National Sports Award to 85 persons, organisers". The Business Standard. May 11, 2022. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2023.

External links

• Elias Hossain at National-Football-Teams.com

Bibliography

• Alam, Masud (2017). ফুটবলের গল্প ফুটবলারদের গল্প (transl. The story of football the story of footballers) (in Bengali). Bishhoshahitto Bhobon. ISBN   9789849134688.