Football great DMK Afzal passes away

Afzal, a member of the 1962 Asian Games gold medal-winning football team, is a product of legendary football coach from the city, SA Rahim

HYDERABAD: Indian sports and football fraternity lost a champion player and one of the all-time greats, DMK Afzal. He passed away here on Wednesday. He was 81.

Afzal, a member of the 1962 Asian Games gold medal-winning football team, has been ailing because of poor health for some time.

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He was another of those products of the legendary football coach from the city, SA Rahim, who was instrumental in India witnessing a golden era in football when five from the city featured in the Indian team for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

Afzal was a product of an era when many put their heart and soul into the sport because of sheer passion, and was an inspiration because of his commitment and the intense desire to bring laurels to the country against all odds.

Afzal rubbed his shoulders with some of the finest footballers ever from India, including PK Banerjee, Chuni Goswami, Tulasidas Balaram, and goalkeeper Peter Thangaraj was a tribute to his skills, which earned him a special place not just in the national team but also in the hearts of fans across India.

For the record, Afzal also played for East Bengal in Kolkata with distinction.

Former India captains Victor Amalraj, Shabbir Ali expressed condolences, and Telangana Football Association secretary GP Palguna were among the first to express condolences.

During one of the interviews, Afzal recalled how the great coach Rahim inspired the Indian team to win the Asian Games gold.

“His advice to the players was to avoid the offside trip in front of an anti-India crowd for the final. He insisted on us keeping possession of the ball as much as possible,” “The best part was that despite the serious doubts of the Indian team’s participation for the Asian Games, Rahim Saab saw to that the players were fully focussed in the camp at Goshamahal Stadium in the City,” Afzal said. “None of us moved out of the camp till we left for the Asian Games. Such was his passion to see that the players developed the kind of bonding even while improving their skills,” the great footballer said.

Amalraj said that Afzal was a gentleman footballer who always wanted the Indian team to win every time. “A passionate footballer who importantly encouraged young talent. We learnt a lot from him,” he said.

At the domestic front, Afzal has the distinction of winning the Santosh Trophy with Andhra Pradesh in 1965. With his club, Andhra Police, he won the Durand Cup (1961), Rovers Cup (1962, joint winners), and the DCM Trophy (1965).