Shabbir Ali

Shabbir Ali (born 26 January 1956) is an Indian football manager and former player. He was awarded the Dhyan Chand Award, the highest award in Indian sports for lifetime achievement, given by Government of India in 2011. He is the first footballer to be named for the Dhyan Chand Award.

Club career As a footballer, Ali was rated as the best player in India during the 1970s and 1980s. Arguably the finest striker of his time, Ali was a prolific goal scorer both at the national and international level. He rose to fame at a very early age when he captained India to win the Asian Youth championships in Bangkok jointly with Iran in 1974, a performance which even earned praise from the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. where he stayed for a season only.

Ali scored 16 goals in international matches and remains one of India's all-time top scorers, ahead of Chuni Goswami, Pradip Kumar Banerjee, Inder Singh and among others. In the 1976 Merdeka international football tournament in Kuala Lumpur, Ali scored a hat-trick against Indonesia in the first 35 minutes. Only twelve footballers in India have scored an international hat-trick; of those, Ali's is the fastest.

International career For 12 years between 1972 and 1984, Ali was an automatic choice with the national team of India, be it Asian Youth, Asian Games, pre-Olympics, Asian Cup, Merdeka Cup tournament, Nehru Gold Cup, King's Cup or any other goodwill tour. He also captained India in Asian Youth, pre-Olympics, Nehru Cup, Merdeka and King's Cup tournaments.

One of his best moments came in the 1976 Merdeka international football tournament in Kuala Lumpur, where he scored a hat-trick against Indonesia within the first 35 minutes. Among Indians who have scored a hat-trick, Ali's was the fastest.

He also appeared in the 1976 Jasson Cup held in Afghanistan, with Indian team managed by Jarnail Singh. He played over 100 international matches for India and scored 30 goals from 1974 to per match. International goals "A" international statistics

Managerial career After retiring as a footballer in 1985, Ali became a coach. He earned a first class diploma from the Sports Authority of India. He successfully passed the German football association B License coach and also their four-week coaching course, which is equivalent to A License.

Between 1997 and 1999, Ali managed top Goan outfit Salgaocar and established himself as India's best coach. Barring a few like PK Banerjee and Syed Nayeemuddin, no other coach in India could win so many titles in such a short span as Ali did. Next Salgaocar won the National League title, the only time a Goan team could win it till date. Ali then took the team to Bombay and won the Rovers Cup. Thereafter, the team flew into Delhi to bag the Durand Cup beating both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal and then tamed Mohun Bagan again in the Super Cup contest. No other teams in India have been given such a great run in Indian football in recent years. In 2006, he succeeded Mridul Banerjee as manager of another NFL side Vasco. In 2008, he was again appointment head coach of Mohammedan.

On 2 September 2022, he was unanimously appointed as the chairman of the All India Football Federation Advisory Committee. He is also included in the board of eminent players of the AIFF.

Football academy In February 2021, Ali launched a football academy in Hyderabad, named Shabbir Ali Football Academy, that became operational from 1 March. The academy is also affiliated with Telangana Football Association.

Honours Player India ANFA Cup runner-up: 1983 Afghanistan Republic Day Cup third place: 1976 King's Cup third place: 1977

India U20 AFC Asian U-19 Championship: 1974

Mohammedan Sporting Calcutta Football League: 1981 Federation Cup: 1983–84 Rovers Cup: 1980, 1984 Sait Nagjee Trophy: 1984 DCM Trophy: 1980 Sikkim Gold Cup: 1980 Durand Cup runner-up: 1980 IFA Shield runner-up: 1982

Individual AFC Youth Championship top scorer: 1974 Calcutta Football League top scorer: 1983

Manager

Mohammedan Sporting

Awards Dhyan Chand Award in 2011, towards his service to coach Goan outfit Salgaocar Club between 1997 and 1999. Banga Bhushan in 2014 by the Government of West Bengal Krida Guru Award by the Government of West Bengal: 2018