Wasim Iqbal

Personal information
Full name	Khandoker Wasim Iqbal
Date of birth	(1961-11-21) 21 November 1961 (age 62)
Place of birth	Dacca, East Pakistan (present-day Dhaka, Bangladesh)[1]
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Right winger
Youth career
1978–1979	Brothers Union (Youth Team)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1979–1987	Brothers Union
1987–1988	East Bengal
1988–1990	Dhaka Abahani
1990–1992	Brothers Union
International career
1980	Bangladesh U19
1982–1990	Bangladesh	51[2]	(8)
Managerial career
	Brothers Union U19
2008–2011	Brothers Union
2013	Sheikh Jamal DC
2016	City United
2017	Little Friends Club
Medal record Representing  Bangladesh South Asian Games 1984 1985
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Khandoker Wasim Iqbal (Bengali: খন্দকার ওয়াসিম ইকবাল; born 21 November 1961) is a retired Bangladeshi football player and coach. He mainly played as a right winger, and was one of the most recognised players during the early years of Bangladeshi football. He was a prominent member of the Bangladesh national football team during the majority of the 80s.^[3]

Wasim's career began with his local club Brothers Union'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, Wasim made his Dhaka 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 SC. In 1984 he was named the club's captain.^[4]

Wasim's career with the Oranges saw him win the Federation Cup in 1980 and the Aga Khan Gold Cup in 1982. The late 70s and early 80s was the golden era for Brothers Union as their academy setup produced national team players like Hasanuzzaman Bablu, Mohammed Mohsin and the ever-dependable Wasim himself, whose technical ability was not something many local players had at the time.^[5] During Brothers' Aga Khan Gold Cup triumph in 1982, Wasim scored as the club routed the Oman national football team 3–1. He was a guest player during Mohammedan SC's Ashis-Jabbar Shield Tournament victory in India.^[6]

One of Wasim's most forgettable moments occurred during the 1985 Dhaka League deciding match against Abahani Krira Chakra. 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.^[7]

Soon, Wasim attracted interest from overseas and ended up joining Kolkata based Indian giants SC East Bengal in 1987. During his stint in India, he participated in both the Calcutta League and Rovers Cup. After winning the Calcutta League, Wasim returned to Bangladesh by joining Abahani Krira Chakra. He spent two years at the club winning the Dhaka League in 1989 and also India's Sait Nagjee Trophy, with Wasim assisting Sheikh Mohammad Aslam's winning goal in the final. Wasim also represented Mohammedan as a guest player during the J.C. Guha Memorial Trophy in India. In 1990, he scored the only goal as Abahani defeated India's Mohun Bagan in the Azmiri Begum Gold Cup final in Feni. He also represented Brothers in the first round of the 1992–93 Asian Club Championship.^[6]

In 1980, Wasim played for the Bangladesh U-19 team and soon became a member for the senior national team, making his official debut during the 1982 Quaid-e-Azam, in Pakistan. Wasim regularly featured for the Bangladesh national team from 1982 to 1990, and captained the side at the 1984 South Asian Games in Nepal, and again at the 1987 South Asian Games in India.^[6] One of his most memorable matches for the national side came during the 1984 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against the Philippines, when he almost single-handedly won the match for Bangladesh with his two solo goals in the first half.^[8]

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 3–1 at the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.^[9] Before the start of the 1989 South Asian Games, coach Nasser Hejazi dropped many regular faces including Wasim. It was suspected that as Wasim played for Abahani Limited Dhaka at the time, the Mohammedan SC coach Hejazi did not want him in the team.^[10]

Scores and results list Bangladesh's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	18 February 1982	Pakistan, Karachi	Pakistan	1–1	1–2[11]	1982 Quaid-e-Azam International Cup
2.	13 August 1984	Sriwedari Stadium, Solo, Thailand	Philippines	1–0	3–2	1984 AFC Asian Cup qualification
3.				3–1
4.	21 September 1984	Dasharath Rangasala, Kathmandu, Nepal	Nepal		5–0	1984 South Asian Games
5.
6.	23 December 1985	Dhaka, Bangladesh	Maldives		8–0[12]	1985 South Asian Games
7.
8.	8 March 1989	Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh	Thailand	1–0	3–1	1990 FIFA World Cup qualification

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	14 January 1982	Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh	Oman	1–0[13]	3–1	1982 Aga Khan Gold Cup

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 ever produced.^[14]

After retiring, Wasim started his coaching career with his former club Brothers Union's under 19 team and later went on to manage the senior team for three years.^[15] In 2013, he took charge of Sheikh Jamal DC for the Bangladesh Super Cup.^[16]

He later focused on grassroots, coaching with United City in the Third Division League and Little Friends Club in the Second Division League.^[17]

In October 2021, he became the general manager of Sheikh Russel KC in the Bangladesh Premier League.^[18]

In March 2022, Wasim was dismissed from the general manager post of Sheikh Russel KC.^[19]

Wasim studied in Ramakrishna Mission High School, which is where he learned how to play football, 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.^[20][21]

Brothers Union

• Federation Cup: 1980, 1991
• Aga Khan Gold Cup: 1981–82
• DMFA Cup: 1984

Mohammedan SC

• Ashis-Jabbar Shield Tournament (India): 1982

East Bengal Club

• Calcutta Football League: 1987

Abahani Limited Dhaka

• Federation Cup: 1988
• Sait Nagjee Trophy: 1989
• Dhaka League: 1989–90
• Independence Cup: 1990
• Azmiri Begum Gold Cup: 1990

Bangladesh

• South Asian Games Silver medal: 1984, 1985

• 1985 − Sports Writers Association's Best Footballer Award.
• 2006 − National Sports Award.^[22]