Ghayas Zahid

Ghayas Zahid

Personal information
Date of birth	(1994-09-08) 8 September 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth	Oslo, Norway
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Partizan
Number	29
Youth career
0000–2009	Klemetsrud IF
2009–2012	Vålerenga
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012–2017	Vålerenga	111	(29)
2013	→ Ull/Kisa (loan)	10	(0)
2017–2021	APOEL	94	(16)
2019–2020	→ Panathinaikos (loan)	25	(4)
2021–2023	Ankaragücü	57	(7)
2023–	Partizan	46	(8)
International career
2013	Norway U19	4	(0)
2014–2016	Norway U21	19	(3)
2018–2020	Norway	2	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 November 2024

Ghayas Zahid (born 8 September 1994) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Serbian SuperLiga club Partizan. He is the first footballer of Pakistani descent to feature in the UEFA Champions League, after playing against Real Madrid in 2017. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Club career

Early years

Zahid was born in Oslo to Pakistani parents. ^[4] He played for Klemetsrud IF before he joined Vålerenga as a youth. ^[5] Zahid made his debut for Vålerenga on 10 August 2012, in a 3–1 win against Odd.

Ullensaker/Kisa (loan)

Zahid was loaned out to Adeccoligaen club Ullensaker/Kisa for the second half of the 2013 season. He made 10 appearances during his loan spell.

APOEL

On 31 August 2017, it was announced that APOEL had secured Zahid's signature on a four-year contract until the end of May 2021, for an undisclosed transfer fee from Vålerenga. Zahid made his debut in the third round of the Cypriot First Division against Nea Salamis. ^[6] Ghayas Zahid debuted in the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League for APOEL at Santiago Bernabéu where they lost 3–0 against last campaign's champions, Real Madrid. ^[7] Following the match, Zahid became the first footballer of Pakistani descent to feature in the Champions League. ^{[1] [2]} Zahid was in the starting line-up and played full 90 minutes for the remaining five games in Group H against Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund as well as the second leg against Real Madrid. On 17 November Zahid scored twice in the Nicosia derby in a 3–1 win against arch rivals Omonia. ^[8]

Panathinaikos (loan)

On 23 July 2019, Panathinaikos announced the arrival of Zahid on loan from APOEL, with a purchase option of €1.6 million for the summer of 2020. ^[9] The option was not triggered, and at the end of the season, he also left APOEL as his contract expired. ^[10]

Ankaragücü

On 8 September 2021, Zahid signed a one-year contract with TFF First League club Ankaragücü, with an option for an additional year if the club wins promotion to the Süper Lig. ^[11] He made his debut four days later, on 12 September, coming on as a substitute in the 61st minute for Abdullah Durak in a 2–0 win over Gençlerbirliği. ^[12] After 9 goals and 7 assists in 64 official matches, Zahid left the Turkish club at the end of the 2022-23 season. ^[13]

Partizan

On 23 August 2023, Zahid signed a three-year deal with a Serbian club Partizan. ^[14] He made his debut against Javor Ivanjica on 27 August, then scored his first goal in a 3–2 win over Radnik Surdulica. ^{[15] [16]} Zahid scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute for a 2–1 victory against Železničar Pančevo. ^[17] Ghayas Zahid was declared the most valuable player of the Serbian SuperLiga in October, scoring three goals against Mladost Lučani, Spartak Subotica and Voždovac. ^{[18] [19] [20]} Zahid recorded two assists in the 2–1 win over Čukarički in the 21st minute for Saldanha's 10th goal of the season and the 96th minute for Mihajlo Ilić's winning goal. ^[21] In the derby of the 17th round of the Serbian SuperLiga, Partizan defeated Vojvodina 3–1. The decisive goal was scored by Zahid in the 87th minute, when he broke the deadlock. ^[22] On 20 December 2023 in the 171st Eternal Derby he provided the assist for Saldanha's winning goal in a 2–1 Partizan win. ^[23]

International career

Zahid represented Norway at youth level. In an interview with Aftenposten in July 2014, ^{[24] [25]} and in another discussion in 2017 after playing in the Champions League, ^[3] Zahid had declared his intention to play for Pakistan. In 2018, Zahid also cited his intention to play at the highest level at Norway with Pakistan as a backup choice. ^[26] In March 2018, the Pakistan Football Federation contacted Zahid's former club Valerenga, only to be told that he had since left for APOEL. ^{[27] [26]} Zahid's father also preferred him to play for his country of origin, if the Pakistani passport was issued in due course. ^[28]

Zahid eventually opted for Norway after being called up for a friendly against Panama. On 6 June 2018, Zahid made his first appearance for Norway against Panama as a substitute in the 89th minute. He scored a goal on his second appearance against Austria in a 1–1 draw during the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League B.

Personal life

Zahid's family originate from the city of Lalamusa in Pakistan. ^[1] He is fluent in Norwegian and Urdu. ^[3]

Career statistics

Club

As of 3 November 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Vålerenga	2012	Eliteserien	4	0	0	0	—		—		4	0
	2013		3	0	2	1	—		—		5	1
	2014		29	9	4	0	—		—		33	9
	2015		29	7	2	0	—		—		31	7
	2016		28	8	4	1	—		—		32	9
	2017		18	5	4	3	—		—		22	8
	Total		111	29	16	5	—		—		127	34
Ull/Kisa (loan)	2013	1. divisjon	10	0	—		—		—		10	0
APOEL	2017–18	Cypriot First Division	33	10	2	0	6	0	—		41	10
	2018–19		27	3	5	1	5	0	0	0	37	4
	2020–21		34	3	6	1	4	0	0	0	44	4
	Total		94	16	13	2	15	0	0	0	122	18
Panathinaikos (loan)	2019–20	Superleague	25	4	4	0	—		—		29	4
Ankaragücü	2021–22	TFF First League	29	5	2	0	—		—		31	5
	2022–23	Süper Lig	28	2	5	2	—		—		33	4
	Total		57	7	7	2	—		—		64	9
Partizan	2023–24	Serbian SuperLiga	33	7	4	0	1	0	—		38	7
	2024–25		13	1	1	0	6	1	—		20	2
Career Total			343	64	45	9	22	1	0	0	410	74

International

Scores and results list the Norway's goal tally first. Score column indicates score after each Zahid goal.

No.	Date	Venue	Cap	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	18 November 2020	Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Vienna	2	Austria	1–0	1–1	2020–21 UEFA Nations League B

Honours

APOEL

• Cypriot First Division: 2017–18, 2018–19

Ankaragücü

• TFF First League: 2021–22

Individual

• Serbian SuperLiga Player of the Week: 2023–24 (Round 21 ^[29] ),

References

1. "Ghayas Zahid first Pakistani-origin footballer to play in Champions League". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
2. Khan, Hamza (15 September 2017). "Pakistani makes Champions League debut against Real Madrid". Brecorder. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
3. "A Real 'unbelievable' experience for Ghayas Zahid - FOX Sports Asia". 23 September 2017. Archived from the original on 23 September 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
4. "Ghayas Zahid". altomfotball.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 19 January 2014.
5. "Who is Norwegian Man City Target: Ghayas Zahid". www.footballwhispers.com. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
6. "NEA SALAMIS VS. APOEL 1 - 4". Soccerway. 9 September 2017.
7. "REAL MADRID VS. APOEL 3 - 0". Soccerway. 13 September 2017.
8. "OMONIA NICOSIA VS. APOEL 1 - 3". Soccerway. 17 November 2017.
9. "Αυτοί είναι οι όροι της συμφωνίας Παναθηναϊκού-ΑΠΟΕΛ για τον Ζαχίντ" (in Greek). 23 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
10. "Zahid til tyrkisk fotball". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). 8 September 2021.
11. Wahl, Stian André de (8 September 2021). "Zahid til tyrkisk fotball". Nettavisen (in Norwegian).
12. "Ankaragücü vs. Gençlerbirliği - 12 September 2021". Soccerway. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
13. İşte Ankaragücü’nün Ghayas Zahid Kararı, viralspor.com, 13 June 2023
14. "Zahid zvanično u Humskoj, ugovor na tri godine | MozzartSport". www.mozzartsport.com (in Serbian). Retrieved 23 August 2023.
15. "PARTIZAN VS. JAVOR 3 - 1". Soccerway.com. 27 August 2023.
16. "PARTIZAN VS. RADNIK SURDULICA 3 - 2". Soccerway. 17 September 2023.
17. "ŽELEZNIČAR PANČEVO VS. PARTIZAN 1 - 2". Soccerway. 22 September 2023.
18. "PARTIZAN VS. MLADOST LUČANI 2 - 0". Soccerway. 7 October 2023.
19. "SPARTAK SUBOTICA VS. PARTIZAN 0 - 3". Soccerway. 20 October 2023.
20. "PARTIZAN VS. VOŽDOVAC 3 - 0". Soccerway. 29 October 2023.
21. "PARTIZAN VS. CUKARICKI 2 - 1". Soccerway. 12 November 2023.
22. "PARTIZAN VS. VOJVODINA 3 - 1". Soccerway. 2 December 2023.
23. "PARTIZAN VS. RED STAR BELGRADE 2 - 1". Soccerway. 20 December 2023.
24. ""Da jeg hadde lært meg å lese i Koranen, fikk jeg begynne på et fotballag"". aftenposten.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). 6 July 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
25. Wasim, Umaid (4 January 2015). "Shamlan's demand may see foreign-based players miss out on 2018 qualifiers". DAWN.com. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
26. natasha.raheel (6 April 2018). "Pakistan look towards foreign players in bid to improve rankings". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
27. "Pakistan bekrefter Ghayas Zahid-interesse". vg.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). 20 March 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
28. "Danish Superliga player Adnan on PFF's radar". thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
29. "Najbolji igrač 21. kola Mozzart Bet Super lige Srbije – Gajas Zahid". www.superliga.rs. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.

External links

• Ghayas Zahid at Soccerway