Masood Fakhri

Masood Fakhri was a Pakistani professional footballer who played as a left winger. He started his career with Pakistan Raiders Club in 1949 and represented Punjab in the national championship. He moved to India in 1952 and signed with East Bengal, where he became a fan favorite for his goals against rival club Mohun Bagan. He helped East Bengal win the Calcutta Football League, the Durand Cup and the DCM Trophy. He also played in Europe against teams like FC Torpedo Moscow and Kickers Offenbach. He joined Mohammedan in 1955 and won the Rovers Cup with them. He was the first Pakistani footballer to score a hat-trick in an international game, when he scored three goals against Singapore in the 1954 Asian Games. He also played in the 1956 Olympics qualifiers. He moved to England in 1956 and signed with Bradford City, becoming the first player from South Asia to play in England. He played only one season with the club before retiring due to personal reasons. He settled in Wales and kept a low profile. He died in 2016 at the age of 83. He was considered one of the finest strikers and the face of Pakistani football in his era.