Rajab Ali (footballer)

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Rajab Ali
Personal information
Full name Rajab Ali Hazara
Date of birth (1997-03-06) 6 March 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Quetta, Pakistan
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2014–2017 Baloch Quetta
2016 Pakistan Police
2017– Khan Research Laboratories
International career‡
2013–2014 Pakistan U17
2023– Pakistan 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:00, 14 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:00, 17 November 2023 (UTC)

Rajab Ali (born 6 March 1997 [1] ) is a Pakistani footballer who plays as a midfielder for Khan Research Laboratories and the Pakistan national team.

Contents

Early life

Belonging to the ethnic Hazara community, Rajab was born in Quetta in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. At the age of 10, Rajab started to pursue his football aspirations. Initially, his family hoped to prioritize his studies, but Ali remained dedicated to football despite the scarcity of resources for the sport.

Club career

Early career

Ali started his football career following an announcement about an under-13 tournament and successfully made it into the Balochistan under-13 football team. He continued his path by also playing for the under-14 and under-15 teams.

However, when the under-16 championship was scheduled in Mali Bagh in Quetta, Ali's parents expressed concerns about security issues in Balochistan, leading them to hesitate about allowing him to prepare for the championship. Despite the opposition from his family, Ali persevered and attended the 10-day training camp. His determination bore fruit when he earned a spot in the Balochistan Championship and subsequently journeyed to Lahore Football House.

Baloch Quetta

Ali started playing for Baloch Quetta in 2014. [2] In 2016, Ali won the Balochistan cup with Quetta, scoring a goal in a 8–2 victory against Jaffarabad. [3] [4] In 2016, Ali also played for the Pakistan Police department in the 2016 Pakistan Football Federation Cup.

Khan Research Laboratories

Impressed by his performance, Pakistan Premier League departmental side Khan Research Laboratories extended an invitation for him to join their ranks in 2017. [2] In the 2018–19 season he made 17 appearances, [2] helping the side clinch the league title. [5]

In the 2021–22 season, he made 10 appearances scoring a goal until the league was cancelled shortly after starting. [2] In September 2021, he netted a goal in a 6–0 victory against Karachi United at the Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium. [6]

International career

Ali was first selected for the Pakistan under-16 team for the 2013 SAFF U-16 Championship held in Nepal. [7] He was subsequently made captain for the 2014 AFC U-16 Championship qualification. [8] Ali also participated in the 2014 edition of the Street Child World Cup held in Brazil. [9] [10]

In December 2018, Ali participated in Pakistan tour to Qatar for test matches as a preparation for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, however he was dropped for the final squad. [11] He made his senior international debut on 12 October 2023 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Cambodia, which ended in a 0–0 draw. [12]

Personal life

In 2014, Ali opened the Hazara Football Academy, intended as a training academy due to the lack of resources in football.

Initially, the academy only trained men players. In 2020, the academy expanded the training program to women players. It is providing a future for players who play on the streets instead of playing in football stadiums.

Career statistics

International

As of 17 November 2023 [1]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Pakistan 202320
Total20

Honours

Khan Research Laboratories

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References

  1. 1 2 Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Rajab Ali (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Rajab Ali - Soccer player profile & career statistics - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  3. ↑ "Nazir brace powers Quetta to title win". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  4. ↑ natasha.raheel (2016-08-10). "Balochistan Cup: Resilient Quetta beat Jafarabad 8-2". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  5. ↑ Wasim, Umaid (2019-01-14). "Contentious PPFL season ends with controversially-promoted team denied title". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  6. ↑ "PPFL: KRL outplay Karachi United 6-0 - Sport bulletin". sports-bulletin.com. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
  7. ↑ Wasim, Umaid (2013-07-18). "Eyeing prospective Fulham future, team leave for SAFF U-16 Championship". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  8. ↑ "UAE crush Pakistan in U16 qualifiers". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  9. ↑ Abbasi, Kashif (2014-05-15). "Street footballers share their stories from Karachi to Rio". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  10. ↑ natasha.raheel (2014-03-19). "Football rejuvenates street children". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  11. ↑ "Pak football team leaves for Qatar quietly". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  12. ↑ "FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier : Pakistan, Cambodia first leg ends in goalless draw". www.geosuper.tv. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
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