Sheikh Shaheb Ali

Sheikh Shaheb Ali was born in Matuail area of Dhaka, on 1 July 1917.[2] He started his career at Kabi Nazrul Government College, where he was a student and after graduation joined the newly formed Mohammedan SC from Dhaka. During the British regime he played in the unrecognised Dhaka Football League and also participated in the Ronald Shield with Victoria SC as a guest player. He also played one game for Kolkata Mohammedan in 1945, after impressing the clubs football secretary Abdul Rashid and captain Mohammad Shahjahan while playing for Dhaka XI during an invitational tournament. After the partition of India, he played for Dhaka Wanderers in the Dhaka League, and was league champion in both 1950 and 1951. He played in the 1955 IFA Shield, as a guest player for Dhaka Wanderers. While playing for Fire Service SC, Ali was called up to the Pakistan national football team alongside another Bengali player, Nabi Chowdhury, for the 1954 Asian Games in Manila, Philippines.[3][4] He retired from playing in 1957 after captaining East Pakistan Green team at the Pakistan National Championship.[5]

Shantoo

Ali

Pintoo (c)

Nazir

Hakim

Kaikobad

Nannu

Pratap

Nowsher

Enayetur

Salahuddin

Shaheb Ali's chosen starting XI for Bangladesh's first ever international fixture. The team drew 2–2 with Thailand, with goals from Enayetur and Salahuddin.[6]

Ali worked as a referee from 1943 to 1962, and later worked with the Pakistan Football Federation in 1958. He coached the East Pakistan football team from 1959 till 1960, and in 1961 he trained the Dhaka University football team.[7] After the Independence of Bangladesh, Ali was the head coach of President's XI team that played against Bangladesh XI, in the first football match in the newly liberated country, on 13 February 1972. Ali's President's XI team won the game 2–0 with goals from Golam Sarwar Tipu and Scooter Gafoor.[8] On 13 May 1972, Ali guided "Dhaka XI", who were the unofficial Bangladesh national team (as Bangladesh were not yet an AFC or FIFA member), against the travelling Mohun Bagan AC. Dhaka XI striker Kazi Salahuddin scored the only of the game in front of more than 35,000 spectators at the Dhaka Stadium.[9] Later that year, he again coached Dhaka XI, when they travelled to India's Guwahati to take part in the Bordoloi Trophy. The team finished runners-up behind East Bengal Club.[10]

In July 1973, Ali travelled to Malaysia as the head coach of the first Bangladesh national football team, when they took part in the Merdeka Cup. Bangladesh tied their first two games, 2–2 against Thailand and 1–1 against South Vietnam. Other than the 0–6 thrashing at the hands of Burma the team managed respectable results losing 1–2 against Kuwait and drawing with Singapore (1–1). They finished their Malaysia tour with a 0–2 defeat against Thailand. On their way back, Ali's side played a friendly in Singapore and earned their first international football win by defeating the hosts 1–0.[6] In September 1979, Ali was put incharge of the national team again, as Bangladesh partook in the Korean President's Cup, during the tournament Ali guided Bangladesh to only their third ever international victory, with a 3–1 thrashing of Sri Lanka. However, his side also suffered their biggest ever defeat, as hosts South Korea outplayed them with a 9–0 scoreline.[11] Ali was a trainer at BJMC in 1979, and retired from all football activities after working with the executive committee of the Bangladesh Football Federation from 1992 to 1993.[1][5]

Ali was one of the architects behind Sonali Otit Club, which is an organisation made of former footballers.[5]

He died on 1 June 2004, at the age of 86. Ali left behind his wife, three sons and six daughters.[1]

As of 16 September 1979

Team	From	To	Record
			G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Bangladesh	26 July 1973[6]	13 August 1973	7	1	3	3	6	14	−8	014.29
Bangladesh	8 September 1979	16 September 1979	4	1	0	3	4	16	−12	025.00

• পাকিস্তান জাতীয় দল বাঙালি খেলোয়াড় (Bengali players in the Pakistan national team)[2]

• Sheikh Shaheb Ali at Sonali Otit Club.com