Yousuf Khan Biography: One of the greatest players in Indian football history, Yousuf Khan, was the embodiment of exceptional skill. His incredible abilities and accomplishments have left a lasting impression on Indian football history, and his story still resonates today as a source of priceless knowledge and motivation for the country’s budding football fans.
Yousuf Khan is a living legend among football enthusiasts, whose name is spoken with reverence due to his extraordinary skill on the pitch. His remarkable skills as a player and a person have stood the test of time, leaving behind an enduring and inspirational legacy.
Football has always been critiqued for where it is now and the caliber of players we have. We never made an effort to delve deeply into Indian football’s past, when players were of legendary skill. One of these skillful individuals deceived everyone by controlling the ball in the middle of the field. Mohd. Yousuf Khan was referred to as the “Bearded Horse” of India. In 1962, he was instrumental in helping Indian football win its first gold medal at the Asian Games. India gave its best-ever performance in this regard. Eventually, he was chosen as one of the two men for the Asian All-Star XI team.
The Galloping of Indian Football: Yousuf Khan Biography
| Attribute | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Mohammed Yousuf Khan |
| Date of birth | 5 August 1937 |
| Place of birth | Hyderabad, British India |
| Date of death | 1 July 2006 (aged 68) |
| Place of death | Hyderabad, India |
| Position(s) | Midfielder |
The Tough Fight of Yousuf Khan
On August 5, 1937, Yousuf Khan was born in Andhra Pradesh. Despite suffering three concussions during his career, he was so determined to represent India and win games for it. The repercussions of his decision to resume playing following his head injuries became apparent in 1994, when Parkinson’s disease was linked to those traumas. Ironically, he was disregarded for the following 40 years after receiving the 1966 Arjuna Award. Then a heart attack claimed his life in 2006. We could have seen a different football landscape in India if he had become the face of football promotion in that country. But he paid a heavy price for his ignorance of politics and administration.
After retiring from both the Central Government and the Police Department, he received a pension of a total of Rs 5,500. This money was utilized to pay for his illness’s medical costs as well as to support his family, which included a wife, a son, and five daughters. His son used to receive some money from tuition.
Everyone would wonder why a player of his quality, who competed for India at the Olympics and emerged as one of the country’s top midfielders, saw this situation.
In his final years, he wondered a lot and was in a lot of discomfort. Whether the athletes of that generation were justified in giving up all for their nation and receiving nothing in return. He is currently regarded as the greatest football player to have come out of India, and there are many more legends like him that have been lost to ignorance and corruption in the past. It’s time for us to band together and raise awareness to give them the credit they deserve.
Yousuf Khan Honors
India
- Asian Games Gold medal: 1962
- AFC Asian Cup runners-up: 1964
- Merdeka Tournament runner-up: 1964; third-place: 1965
Individual
- AFC Asian All Stars: 1965, 1966
- Arjuna Award: 1966
- Sportskeeda All time Indian Football X
