Former India footballer Abdul Latif dies at 73

Latif, who played as a midfielder, represented India in the 1970 Asian Games when the team won a bronze; he also represented renowned Kolkata club Mohun Bagan.

Footballer Abdul Latif in his younger days.

 

Former India footballer Abdul Latif passed away in Guwahati on Monday. He was 73 and is survived by a son and two daughters.

Latif, who played as a midfielder, represented India in the 1970 Asian Games where the team had won a bronze. Earlier, he played for State Bank of Hyderabad in the A- Division Rahim League here. Later on, he moved over to Bengaluru where he played for HAL before settling down in Guwahati.

Latif was also the coach of the Assam team which won the junior and the sub-junior national titles under this guidance. 

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He also played for the two famous Kolkata clubs – Mohammedan Sporting and Mohun Bagan.

Former India captain Victor Amalraj said that Latif was his coach with Mohammedan Sporting in 1978 and was a brilliant schemer of strategies.

Former internationals Shabbir Ali, Mohd Habib, Amalraj, Aleem Khan, G. Palguna (now Telangana Football Association Secretary) were among those who expressed condolences.