Khandoker Wasim Iqbal (; born 21 November 1961) is a retired Bangladeshi

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player and coach. He mainly played as a

right winger In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...

, and was one of the most recognised players during the early years of

Bangladeshi Bangladeshis ( ) are the citizens and nationals of Bangladesh, a South Asian country centred on the transnational historical region of Bengal along the Bay of Bengal, eponymous bay. Bangladeshi nationality law, Bangladeshi citizenship was fo ...

football. He was a prominent member of the Bangladesh national team from 1982 to 1990.

Club career

Brothers Union

Wasim's career began with his local club

Brothers Union Brothers Union () is a professional association football, football club based in Gopibagh, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It currently competes in the Bangladesh Premier League (football), Bangladesh Premier League, the top flight of Football in Bangladesh, ...

's youth team, with whom he took part in the Pioneer League. During his time with the youth team, Wasim managed to impress the club's captain Shahiduddin Ahmed Selim and was promoted to the senior team, within a year. Under the legendary Brothers coach

Abdul Gafur Baloch Abdul Gafur Baloch (1936–25 June 1997) was a football player and coach. Born in Pakistan during the British regime, he was granted Bangladeshi citizenship due to his contribution to the country's football. Gafur was praised for his defensive ...

, Wasim made his First Division League debut against Dhaka Wanderers. He started his career as a striker, but was soon converted to an out an out right winger in a 4-2-4 system and in his debut season of 1979, he scored in a 1–0 victory over

Mohammedan ''Mohammedan'' (also spelled ''Muhammadan'', ''Mahommedan'', ''Mahomedan'' or ''Mahometan'') is a term for a follower of Muhammad, the Islamic prophet. It is used as both a noun and an adjective, meaning belonging or relating to, either Muhamm ...

. In 1984 he was named the club's captain. Wasim's career with the Oranges saw him win the Federation Cup in 1980 and the

Aga Khan Gold Cup The Aga Khan Gold Cup was a tournament played in Dhaka, Bangladesh which invited the club sides from leading football nations of Asia to compete. Many renowned football pundits regard this competition as a predecessor of the AFC Champions League ...

in 1982. During Brothers' Aga Khan Gold Cup triumph in 1982, Wasim scored as the club routed the

Oman national football team The Oman national football team () represents Oman in men's international association football, football and is controlled by the Oman Football Association. History World Cup and Asian Cup The Oman national football team has made notable effort ...

3–1. He was a guest player during Mohammedan's Ashis-Jabbar Shield Tournament victory in India. One of Wasim's most forgettable moments occurred during the 1985 First Division League deciding match against

Abahani Krira Chakra Abahani Limited Dhaka (), also referred as Dhaka Abahani or Abahani Limited, is a Bangladeshi professional football club based in the Dhanmondi area of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The club currently competes in the Bangladesh Premier League, the top ...

. With Brothers needing a win to claim their first league title, they soon took a two-goal lead against their rivals. Furthermore, Wasim found himself in a one-on-one situation with Abahani's Sri Lankan goalkeeper, Chandrashir; however, his miss saw Abahani win the game 3–2, ending Wasim's hope for a first league title with his boyhood club.

East Bengal Club

In 1987, when Wasim was made the national team captain for the second time, he attracted interest from overseas and eventually joined Kolkata-based Indian giants,

East Bengal Club East Bengal Club, commonly referred to as East Bengal (), is an Indian professional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is best known for its professional men's association football, football team that competes in the Indian ...

. During his stint in India, he participated in both the

Calcutta League The Calcutta Football League (CFL) is a ladder-based football competition in the Indian state of West Bengal, organised by the Indian Football Association (WB) as part of the state leagues. It is the oldest football league in Asia. The CFL ...

and

Rovers Cup The Rovers Cup was an annual football tournament held in India, organized by the Western India Football Association. Incorporated in 1890, it was the third oldest tournament in India after Trades Cup. History Rovers Cup was incorporated by s ...

. He won the Calcutta League title, before returning to Dhaka.

Dhaka Abahani

In 1988, Wasim joined

. He spent two years at the club winning the First Division in 1989 and also India's Sait Nagjee Trophy, with Wasim assisting

Sheikh Mohammad Aslam Sheikh Mohammad Aslam (; born 1 March 1958), popularly known as Aslam, is a Bangladeshi former footballer. He played as a specialist striker and was one of the most lethal marksmen in domestic league during the 1980s and 1990s. He gained fame w ...

's winning goal in the final. Wasim also represented Mohammedan as a guest player during the J.C. Guha Memorial Trophy in India, losing the final to

Mohun Bagan AC Mohun Bagan Athletic Club is an Indian professional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded in 1889, it is one of the oldest multi-sports clubs in Asia. The club has various sports departments like association football, footb ...

. In 1990, he scored the only goal as Abahani defeated India's

Mohun Bagan Mohun Bagan Super Giant, commonly referred to as Mohun Bagan, is an Indian professional football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded in 1889, it is one of the oldest football clubs in Asia. The club competes in the Indian Super League, ...

in the Azmiri Begum Gold Cup final in Feni.

Return to Brothers Union

In 1991, Wasim returned to

, following an offer from club official,

Sadeque Hossain Khoka Sadeque Hossain Khoka (12 May 1952 – 4 November 2019) was a Bangladeshi politician. He served as the 2nd mayor of Dhaka City Corporation during 2002 to 2011. He was the vice chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and was President of undi ...

. Following his return, the club won their first solo title, defeating

on penalties in the Federation Cup final. He also represented Brothers in the first round of the 1992–93 Asian Club Championship against

Wohaib FC Hafiz Wohaib Butt Memorial Football Club (), commonly known as Wohaib FC, is a professional association football, football club based in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab, Pakistan. The club last competed in the 2020 PFF League, the second tier of ...

International career

Wasim played for the Bangladesh U-19 team at the

1980 AFC Youth Championship The 1980 AFC Youth Championship was held from 21 February to 1 March 1981 in Bangkok, Thailand. The tournament was won by for the fifth time by South Korea. Qualification The finals will consist of five teams from the qualification phase. Qu ...

and soon became a member for the Bangladesh national team, making his official debut during the

1982 Quaid-e-Azam International Tournament The 1982 Quaid-e-Azam International Tournament was the second edition of the Quaid-e-Azam International Tournament. The event was held at the National Stadium in Karachi, Pakistan. Venue Squads :SourceRSSSF Bangladesh Head coach: Abdul Ga ...

in Pakistan. Wasim regularly featured for the national team from 1982 to 1990, and captained the side at the

1984 South Asian Games The 1984 South Asian Games (or 1st SAF Games) was the first edition of South Asian Games. It was held in Kathmandu, Nepal from 17 to 23 September 1984. The number of disciplines were restricted to five only. India topped the medal tally, winning ...

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

, and again at the

1987 South Asian Games The 1987 South Asian Games, officially the 3rd South Asian Federation Games were a multi-sport event, held in Kolkata, India from 20 November to 27 November 1987. It was the largest sporting event ever to be held in Kolkata, and West Bengal as ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. One of his most memorable matches for the national side came during the 1984 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

, when he almost single-handedly won the match for Bangladesh with his two goals in the first half. On 8 March 1989, Wasim scored his last goal for the country, during what's considered to be one of Bangladesh's best ever performances in international football, thrashing

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

3–1 at the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Before the start of the

1989 South Asian Games The 1989 South Asian Games, officially the IV South Asian Federation Games, were held in Islamabad, Pakistan from 20 October to 28 October 1989. Muhammad Ali appeared as a special guest at the closing ceremony. The Games Participating nations ...

, coach

Nasser Hejazi Nasser Hejazi (Persian: ناصر حجازی, ''nāser hejāzi''; 14 December 1949 – 23 May 2011), nicknamed "the legendary Iranian goalkeeper", was an Iranian football player and coach who most notably played for Esteghlal (Taj). Considered ...

dropped many regular faces including Wasim. It was suspected that as Wasim played for

Abahani Limited Dhaka Abahani Limited Dhaka (), also referred as Dhaka Abahani or Abahani Limited, is a Bangladeshi professional Association football, football club based in the Dhanmondi area of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The club currently competes in the Bangladesh Pr ...

at the time, the

coach Hejazi did not want him in the team.

Career statistics

International goals

:''Scores and results list Bangladesh's goal tally first.''

International goals for club

;Brothers Union :''Scores and results list Brothers' Union goal tally first.''

Style of play

Wasim dominated the domestic football scene in the 80s in the colors of Brothers Union with his deft dodges, speed, lethal crosses and stunning goals. He was mainly known for his dribbles and is considered to be the best dribbler of the ball

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

ever produced.

Managerial career

After retiring, Wasim started his coaching career with his former club

's under 19 team and later went on to manage the senior team for three years. In 2013, he took charge of

Sheikh Jamal DC Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club (Bengali: শেখ জামাল ধানমন্ডি ক্লাব) is a professional football club based in the Dhanmondi area, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The club competes in the Bangladesh Premier League, ...

for the

Bangladesh Super Cup Super Cup is the highest-budgeted football competition organized by the Bangladesh Football Federation and is one of the two club football season cups in Bangladesh, the other being Federation Cup. History The competition kicked off for the fir ...

. He later focused on grassroots, coaching with United City in the Third Division League and

Little Friends Club Little Friends Club () is a Bangladeshi professional football club based in Gopibagh, Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; , ), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, formerly known as Dacca, is the capital city, capital and list of cities and towns in Ban ...

in the Second Division League. In October 2021, he became the general manager of

Sheikh Russel KC Sheikh Russel KC ( Bengali: শেখ রাসেল ক্রীড়া চক্র) is a professional football club based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Founded in 1995, the club currently competes in the Bangladesh Premier League. They won Feder ...

in the

Bangladesh Premier League Bangladesh Premier League (), also known as Dutch-Bangla Bank BPL for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Twenty20 cricket league in Bangladesh organised by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). It was formed in 2011 by the BCB, after the su ...

. In March 2022, Wasim was dismissed from the general manager post of Sheikh Russel KC.

Personal life

Wasim studied in Ramakrishna Mission High School, which is where he learned how to play

, due to his father's persistence. During the peak of his career Wasim appeared in the movie ''Johnny Ustad'', where he acted alongside film stars like Zafar Iqbal and Anju Ghosh.

Honours

Brothers Union * Federation Cup: 1980, 1991 *

: 1981–82 *

DMFA Cup The Dhaka Metropolitan Football Association Cup or DMFA Cup was an association football tournament held in Dhaka and organized by Dhaka Metropolitan League Committee under the supervision of the Bangladesh Football Federation Bangladesh Footba ...

: 1984 Mohammedan SC * Ashis-Jabbar Shield Tournament (India): 1982 East Bengal Club *

Calcutta Football League The Calcutta Football League (CFL) is a ladder-based football competition in the Indian state of West Bengal, organised by the Indian Football Association (WB) as part of the state leagues. It is the oldest football league in Asia. The CFL ...

: 1987 Abahani Limited Dhaka * Federation Cup: 1988 * Sait Nagjee Trophy: 1989 * Dhaka First Division League: 1989–90 * Independence Cup: 1990 * Azmiri Begum Gold Cup: 1990 Bangladesh *

South Asian Games The South Asian Games is a quadrennial multi-sport event held among athletes from South Asia. The South Asia Olympic Council, which was formed in 1983, governs it. The Games consist of seven countries, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, N ...

Silver medal:

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...

Awards and accolades

*1985 − Sports Writers Association's Best Footballer Award. *2006 − National Sports Award.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wasim Iqbal, Khandoker Living people 1961 births Footballers from Dhaka Bangladeshi men's footballers Bangladesh men's international footballers Bangladesh men's youth international footballers Mohammedan SC (Dhaka) players Abahani Limited Dhaka players Brothers Union players East Bengal Club players Men's association football wingers Bangladeshi expatriate men's footballers Bangladeshi expatriate sportspeople in India Expatriate men's footballers in India Asian Games footballers for Bangladesh Footballers at the 1982 Asian Games Footballers at the 1986 Asian Games Footballers at the 1990 Asian Games Calcutta Football League players South Asian Games medalists in football South Asian Games silver medalists for Bangladesh Medalists at the 1984 South Asian Games Medalists at the 1985 South Asian Games Recipients of the Bangladesh National Sports Award Bangladeshi football managers Bangladesh Premier League (football) managers 20th-century Bangladeshi sportsmen 21st-century Bangladeshi sportsmen