Dhaka Mohammedan

Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited is a Bangladeshi professional football club based in Dhaka. Founded in 1936, it is one of the oldest and the most successful football club in the country, with a support base in all parts of the country. The club currently competes in the Bangladesh Premier League.

The football section of Mohammedan Sporting Club began soon after the club's establishment in 1936. In its early years, the team quickly established itself as one of the top clubs in the country. During the 1940s and 1950s, Mohammedan's football team enjoyed a golden era, winning numerous local championships and establishing a dominant presence in domestic football.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the club achieved significant success in national tournaments, including the First Division and various regional competitions, becoming a symbol of football excellence in Bangladesh. The club's passionate fanbase, known for their unwavering support, has played an essential role in Mohammedan’s success over the years.

Throughout the decades, Mohammedan Sporting Club has been one of the top contenders in the Bangladesh Premier League, regularly competing for titles and enjoying memorable victories. The team has also been a major force in the historic Dhaka Derby, the intense rivalry with Abahani Limited Dhaka, which remains one of the most anticipated football matches in the country.

Today, Mohammedan Sporting Club continues to be one of the most respected football clubs in Bangladesh, with a rich legacy and a strong competitive spirit.

History

The club began in Hazaribagh. Members of the famed Nawab family of Dhaka wanted to establish a local club for the youth. As a result, Muslim Sports Club came into being in 1927. Nine years later, with Khwaja Ajmal as its president, it was renamed Mohammedan Sporting Club, after its more renowned predecessor the Kolkata Mohammedan.

Though it was established to create enthusiasm for sports amongst the local Muslim community, the club later broke the race, class and ethnic barrier and became a crowd favorite.

In the late 40s, MSC started to flourish with Mohammad Shahjahan at the helm. Shahjahan left Kolkata Mohammedan and came to Bangladesh after the partition. The 1950s was a time for Dhaka Wanderers. They were the top dog in the sporting arena. In 1956, some of their star players and senior officials joined MSC and started restructuring the club. The results were evident as MSC secured their first league title in 1957. The same year they won the Independence Cup, thus ensuring their domestic double. The trophies kept coming over the next two decades.

Before independence, Mohammedan also clinched the First Division title in the year of 1959, '61, '63, '66 and '69. It was not easy to find success against teams like Dhaka Wanderers and Victoria SC. Yet, Mohammedan did not yield to failure, they pursued their way. Mohammedan won the Aga Khan Gold Cup for the first time in 1959. They repeated the feat twice, in 1964 and 1968.

On 11 May 1972, Mohammedan played against Indian club Mohun Bagan under captaincy of Zakaria Pintoo, which was the first visit of a foreign team in independent Bangladesh. Dhaka Abahani adds a new dimension to domestic football in the post-independent era. And it begins a new rivalry involving Dhaka Abahani and Dhaka Mohammedan termed Dhaka Derby which took no time to spread the passion and madness throughout the country. Abahani won the league in 1974 and 1977 but the decade, however, belonged to Mohammedan as they got the better of their hardcore rival to win the league in 1975, 1976, 1978 and 1980.

They were unbeaten in the first division league from 8 September 1985 to 15 March 1990. They played 76 league games during those one thousand six hundred and fifty days winning 63 of them and drawing 13 times. They scored 160 and conceded 24 goals. The Black and Whites took the league title three times in a row from 1986 to 1988. They continued their success in the next decade by winning titles in 1993, 1996 & 1999. Mohammedan last won the league in 2002, yet despite the intervening years, they still hold the record for the most league titles in Bangladesh with 19 wins. In the 2024-25 season, Mohammedan finally broke their 22-year league title drought by winning the BPL, securing their first BPL title and their 20th first-tier title overall.

Mohammedan won the Federation Cup eleven times, beating Abahani seven times in the final. They won their last Federation Cup title back in 2023. Mohammedan also won the most expensive domestic football tournament of the country, Super Cup twice by taking the inaugural edition in 2009 and then the one in 2013. Their record attendance for a football game is nearly 45,000 which took place in 2009.

They had their touch on Independence Cup title three times in 1972, 1991 and 2014 with being runners up in 1990 and 2023.

Dhaka Mohammedan was the most dominating force in continental competitions among Bangladeshi clubs as well. They made it to the Asian Club Championship (the then Asian Champions League) semi-final round in 1988 thus becoming the first-ever Bangladeshi club to do so. They participated in this tournament a record six times making it to the finals thrice, a record yet to be matched by any South Asian club.

Rivalries

Dhaka Derby

The Dhaka Derby is a football rivalry between Abahani and Dhaka Mohammedan, although the rivalry was bigger in the past. Dhaka Mohammedan and Dhaka Abahani first met each other during 1973 First Division League. Before Abahani's arrival, Mohammedan were the most dominant force in the country, and overthrew their previous rivals Dhaka Wanderers Club, by becoming the team with most league titles won.

Dhaka Wanderers

Prior independence, the club's main local rival was Dhaka Wanderers. The rivalry dates back to 1956 when Mohammedan acquired numerous players from Dhaka Wanderers, who had left due to internal conflicts within their club. Despite this, Wanderers were crowned champions that year. Both clubs were tied on points, and Mohammedan's refusal to play a playoff final resulted in the league title being awarded to Wanderers. Following their final First Division title in 1960, the rest of the decade saw Mohammedan's dominance. Notably, Wanderers lost the prestigious Mohammad Ali Bogra Shield final in 1966, contested by the two Dhaka-based teams in Rawalpindi.

Dhaka Clasico

The football rivalry between Mohammedan Sporting Club and Bashundhara Kings has quickly become one of the most exciting and prominent new rivalries in Bangladeshi club football. While Mohammedan has traditionally been known for the "Dhaka Derby" with Abahani Limited, the rise of Bashundhara Kings has sparked a fresh and intense competition in the country's football scene.

Supporters

The fanbase of Dhaka Mohammedan SC is organized into various supporter groups, most notably MSC Ultras, the ultras group of Dhaka Mohammedan. MSC Ultras play a key role in organizing events and creating a vibrant atmosphere during matches. This group often displays banners, leads chants, and creates coordinated displays, ensuring the team feels supported at every game.

Crest and colours

Official logo of Dhaka Mohammedan SC.png, Club crest, with Bengali alphabet

Stadium

From the 2019–2020 season the club started playing their matches at the 18,000 capacity Shaheed Dhirendranath Stadium. On 7 March 2020, Mohammedan Sporting Club hogging the spotlight with a 1–0 win over defending champions Bashundhara Kings in their home debut.

Currently the club is using Shaheed Dhirendranath Stadium as its home venue.

Shirt sponsors

Current squad

Personnel

Current technical staff

Board of directors

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Coaching records

Managerial history

* Ashraf Chowdhury (1975–1977)
* Ashraf Chowdhury (1978–1979)
* Golam Sarwar Tipu (1980–1984)
* Enayetur Rahman (1985)
* Ali Imam (1986)
* Pratap Shankar Hazra (1987)
* Nasser Hejazi (1987–1992)
* Mohammed Kaikobad (1992)
* Golam Sarwar Tipu (1993–1994)
* Abu Yusuf (1995)
* Kadiri Ikhana (1995)
* Abu Yusuf (1995, ''interim'')
* Kang Man-young (1996, ''interim'')
* Samir Shaker (1997–1998)
* Abul Hossain (1998, ''interim'')
* Hasanuzzaman Bablu (1999–2000)
* Pakir Ali (2001)
* Abul Hossain (2001–2004)
* Kang Man-young (2004–2005)
* Saiful Bari Titu and Mohammed Ponir (2005, ''interim'')
* Jasimuddin Ahmed Joshi (2005)
* Shafiqul Islam Manik (2005–2008)
* Maruful Haque (2008–2010)
* Mohammed Ponir (2010, ''interim'')
* Shafiqul Islam Manik (2010–2011)
* Emeka Ezeugo (2011–2012)
* Saiful Bari Titu (2012–2013)
* Rui Capela (2013–2014)
* Alfaz Ahmed (2014, ''interim'')
* Mohammed Jewel Rana (2014, ''interim'')
* Jasimuddin Ahmed Joshi (2014–2016)
* Mizanur Rahman Dawn (2016, ''interim'')
* Abdul Qaium Sentu (2017)
* Syed Nayeemuddin (2017)
* Rashed Ahmed Pappu (2017–2018)
* Christopher Evans (2018–2019)
* Ali Asgar Nasir (2019, ''interim'')
* Shahidul Islam Jewel (2019, ''interim'')
* Sean Lane (2019–2022)
* Shafiqul Islam Manik (2022–2023)
* Alfaz Ahmed (2023–present)

Managerial statistics

Season by season record

Professional league (2007–present)

Honours

League

* Bangladesh Premier League
**Winners (1): 2024–25
* Dhaka First Division/ Premier Division League
**Winners (19): 1957, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988–89, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2002
* National League
**Winners (2): 2001–02, 2005–06

Cup

* Federation Cup
**Winners (11): 1980*, 1981, 1982*, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1995, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2022–23
* Independence Cup
**Winners (3): 1972, 1991, 2014
* Super Cup
**Winners (2): 2009, 2013
* Ma-O-Moni Gold Cup
**Winners (1): 1990
* DMFA Cup
**Winners (3): 1984*, 1993, 1995
* Independence Day Tournament
**Winners (6): 1958, 1960, 1961*, 1963*, 1965, 1966*
* All Pakistan Mohammad Ali Bogra Shield
**Winners (1): 1966
**Runners-up (1): 1968

Invitational

* Aga Khan Gold CupThe competition is widely regarded as the predecessor of AFC Champions League (held for the first time in 1967), since it was the first organized international competition that involved club teams around Asia, organized by the football authorities of East Pakistan, in collaboration with Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
**Winners (3): 1959, 1964*, 1968
* All Airlines Gold Cup
**Winners (1): 1999
* Ashis-Jabbar Shield Tournament
**Winners (1): 1982
* Bordoloi Trophy
**Runners-up (1): 1989
* J.C. Guha Memorial Trophy
**Runners-up (1): 1988
* IFA Shield
**Runners-up (1): 1995

Performance in AFC competitions

: Asian Club Championship/AFC Champions League: 6 appearances

* 1987 : Qualifying Round
* 1988–89 : Semi Final League
* 1989–90 : Qualifying Round
* 1990–91 : Quarter-finals
* 1991 : Group Stage
* 1997–98 : First Round
: Asian Cup Winners' Cup: 4 appearances
* 1990–91 : Second Round
* 1992–93 : Intermediate Round
* 1993–94 : Second Round
* 1996–97 : Second Round

: AFC Cup: 1 appearance

* 2006 : Group Stage

Notable players

*The players below had senior international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players listed represented their countries before or after playing for Mohammedan Sporting Club (Dhaka).

Asia

* Sheikh Shaheb Ali (1936–38)
* Ashraf Chowdhury (1950; 1956–63)
* Amir Jang Ghaznavi (1956–63)
* Kabir Ahmed (1956–58; 1960–66)
* Mari Chowdhury (1957–58; 1961–62)
* Nabi Chowdhury (1958)
* Debinash Sangma (1958–59; 1961–65; 1968–69)
* Abid Ghazi (1959–66)
* Zahirul Haque (1960–76)
* Abdullah Rahi (1960–61; 1964–70)
* Turab Ali (1961–68)
* Ghulam Abbas Baloch (1961)
* Abdul Ghafoor (1961; 1965–68)
* Moosa Ghazi (1962–68)
* Balai Dey (1962; 1963–64)
* Qayyum Changezi (1963)
* Mohammad Amin (1964)
* Khandoker Mohammad Nurunnabi (1965–70)
* Qadir Bakhsh (1967)
* Hafizuddin Ahmed (1967–78)
* Abdul Jabbar (1967)
* Golam Sarwar Tipu (1968–72; 1975–79)
* Ali Nawaz Baloch (1969)
* Ayub Dar (1970)
* Mohammed Rahmatullah (1963–64)
* Khare Basnet (1980)
* Ganesh Thapa (1981–82; 1985–86)
* Nasser Hejazi (1987)
* Morteza Yekkeh (1987)
* Bijan Taheri (1988–89)
* Reza Naalchegar (1987–89)
* Ronnachai Sayomchai (1988)
* Azamat Abduraimov (1991–92)
* Wangay Dorji (2000)

Africa
* Emeka Ezeugo (1987–89)
* Ousmane Berthé (2019–20)
* Yassan Ouatching (2021)
* Sunday Emmanuel (2023–present)

See also

* Kolkata Mohammedan
* Chittagong Mohammedan

Notes

References

Further reading

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External links

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archived
23 October 2018)

Mohammedan SC (Dhaka)
at BD League
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{{Bangladesh Football Premier League

Mohammedan SC (Dhaka)
Association football clubs established in 1936
Football clubs in Bangladesh
Sport in Dhaka