Khaled Ballan
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Khaled Ballan Saber Youssef | ||
| Date of birth | 1946 | ||
| Place of birth | Doha, Qatar | ||
| Date of death | (aged 36) | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Al-Esteqlal | |||
| International career | |||
| 1970–19?? | Qatar | (2) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Khaled Ballan (Arabic: خالد بلان; 1946 – 3 March 1983) was a Qatari football footballer who played for Al-Esteqlal and represented the Qatar national team in the 1970s.
Club career
Ballan started playing for Al-Oruba in the early 1960s. And also played throughout the 1970s, where he spent his entire career at Al-Esteqlal, winning the Qatari League several times.[1][2]
International career
Ballan made his debut with the Qatar national team in the 1970 Gulf Cup which took place in Bahrain, where he was selected as the Player of the Tournament.[3] Ballan also scored a goal against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia,[3] Due to his performances in the tournament he was praised by the president of FIFA, Stanley Rous.[1]
Personal life
Ballan’s brother, Taleb Ballan, was a referee who officiated in four Emir Cup finals.[4]
Legacy
Ballan was known for being a strong and agile player, spending his entire career at Al-Esteqlal. To honour his career, for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, Aspire Zone Pitch 5 was named after him.[5]
Death
On 3 March 1983, Ballan was involved in a fatal car accident that took his life at thirty-six years old.[1] Some sources also state he passed away in his sleep from a heart attack.[2]
References
- ^ a b c الشرق (8 September 2021). "خالد بلّان.. من الرعيل الأول للكشّافة القطريّة (27)". al-sharq.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ^ a b للأخبار, مركز الاتحاد (13 January 2009). "أسرة خالد بلان في صراع مع الحياة". مركز الاتحاد للأخبار (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 January 2026.
- ^ a b "Gulf Cup 1970". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ^ "ارشيف الدوري والكأس". www.alkass.net. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
- ^ Newspaper, The Peninsula (1 November 2025). "FIFA U-17 World Cup pitches in Aspire Zone named after Qatari football legends". thepeninsulaqatar.com. Retrieved 4 November 2025.