Abdul Ghafoor Majna

Abdul Ghafoor Majna was a Pakistani footballer who played as a midfielder. He was considered as one of the earliest legends in Pakistan football history, and was known for his leadership, free kicks, and goal-scoring abilities. He made his international debut with the Pakistan national team during the 1955 Colombo Cup, where he scored a hat-trick against Burma. He also participated in the 1960 Asian Cup qualifiers, where he captained Pakistan and achieved a memorable victory over Iran and a draw against Israel. He played for various clubs in Pakistan, such as Afghan Club Quetta, Karachi Kickers, Karachi Mohammedan, Balochistan, Hazara Club, Quetta, Faisalabad, and Railways. He won two National Championship titles with Balochistan in 1956 and 1959, and was declared Player of the Year in 1956. He also toured in club tournaments in Iran and India in the 1950s. He survived a night at the highest open bivouac - 8,100 metres - on K2 in 1954, along with the Italian mountaineer Walter Bonatti, but lost all his toes to frostbite. He spent eight months in hospital recovering from the ordeal. He was not given proper recognition or compensation by the Italian team, and was later awarded some medals by the Italian government. He died in 2012 at the age of 74. He is remembered as one of the best Pakistani footballers and a hero of his nation.