Saeed Mirza (footballer)

Saeed Mirza
Mirza in 1946
Personal information
Full name Saeed Baig Mirza
Date of birth (1922-11-22)22 November 1922
Place of birth Lahore, British India
Date of death 21 November (year unknown)
Place of death Pakistan
Position Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1935–1957 Olympians Club
North-Western Railway
Punjab
International career
1950 Pakistan
Managerial career
1959 Pakistan
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Saeed Baig Mirza (Urdu: سعید بیگ مرزا; born 22 November 1922), was a Pakistani footballer and manager. Mirza was part of the Pakistan national football team squad which toured Iran and Iraq during their international debut in 1950, and served as head coach of the national team at the 1960 AFC Asian Cup qualification in December 1959 in India.

Early life

Mirza was born on 22 November 1922 in Lahore, British India.[1][2]

Playing career

Mirza began his football career with Olympians Club of Lahore in 1935 and was selected for Pakistan's inaugural national team, touring Iran and Iraq in 1950.[3][4] He also represented Punjab in the National Football Championship.[1][2]

Coaching career

After retirement as player, he started coaching. In 1957, Mirza oversaw the selection of the Punjab team for the National Football Championship.[5] He again oversaw the training camp of Punjab in October 1959.[6]

Mirza served as head coach of the national team at the 1960 AFC Asian Cup qualification in December 1959 in India, where Pakistan faced Iran, India and Israel twice each in the qualifiers.[1][2][4][7][8] Although Israel managed to qualify by topping the group, Pakistan achieved a memorable victory over Iran by 4–1 and secured a draw against Israel under his stint, finishing in third place in the group, ahead of hosts India but behind Iran.[4]

Death

Mirza died in 21 November.[1][2]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Hameed, Shahzad (21 November 2018). "Ex-footballer Baig's death anniversary today". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "قومی فٹبال ٹیم کے سابق کھلاڑی و کوچ سعید بیگ مرزا کی برسی کل منائی جائے گی" [The death anniversary of former national football team player and coach Saeed Baig Mirza will be observed tomorrow.]. UrduPoint (in Urdu). Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Pakistan Tour of Iran and Iraq 1950". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Ahsan, Ali (23 December 2010). "A history of football in Pakistan — Part I". Dawn. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Tuesday 08 October 1957". British Newspaper Archive. All the 24 provisionally selected players for the Punjab football team are undergoing camp training at the Iqbal Park ground under the supervision of international Saeed Mirza.
  6. ^ "Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Tuesday 06 October 1959". British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Monday 07 December 1959". British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Wednesday 25 November 1959". British Newspaper Archive.