Riasat Ali

Riasat Ali
Riasat in 1953
Personal information
Full name Chaudhry Riasat Ali
Place of birth Punjab, British India
Place of death Pakistan
Position Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1948–1958 Punjab
1952 East Bengal
International career
1953–1958 Pakistan
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Riasat Ali (Urdu: ریاضت علی) was a Pakistani footballer who played as a defender. He is also remembered as one of the most prominent players of the Pakistan national team during the 1950s, captaining the national side in 1956.[1][2]

Club career

Riasat represented the Punjab football team at the National Football Championship from 1948 till the late 1950s, captaining the team on several occasions, as well as being an important player for the team's success in the 1950s.[3][4][5]

In 1952, Riasat would join Calcutta Football League side East Bengal alongside fellow national team player Masood Fakhri for a single season.[6]

International career

Riasat was called up to the Pakistan national team for the 1953 Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament which was held in Burma.[3] He also played for Pakistan in the 1954, and 1955 editions of the tournament.[7][8][9]

In 1954, Riasat participated in the 1954 Asian Games with the national team, where he featured against Singapore and Burma.[10][11] In 1956, Riasat was appointed as the captain of the national team for their far eastern tour to Ceylon, Singapore and China.[12][13][14] He also played at the 1958 Asian Games.[15][16]

Post-retirement

Riasat served as coach after retirement as a player, and helped produce players such as Haroon Yousaf.[17]

Honours

Punjab

East Bengal

See also

References

  1. ^ Ahsan, Ali (23 December 2010). "A history of football in Pakistan — Part I". Dawn. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  2. ^ InpaperMagazine, From (13 January 2013). "In-depth: Pakistan football". Dawn. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  3. ^ a b "Friday, 16 April 1954, Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore)".
  4. ^ "Saturday, 19 November 1955, Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore)".
  5. ^ "Monday, 21 November 1955, Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore)".
  6. ^ "রোভার্স কাপে পাকিস্তানি দল, ইস্টবেঙ্গলের ফকরি ও রিয়াসত আলির যোগদানের কথা" [Pakistani team in Rovers Cup, Fakhri and Riasat Ali to join from East Bengal]. Jugantor (in Bengali). 26 September 1952.
  7. ^ Bhatti, Mukhtar (1999). Pakistan Sports: An Almanac of Pakistan Sports with Complete Records 1947-1999. Bhatti Publications. pp. 237–250.
  8. ^ "The Indian Express - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 28 November 2025.
  9. ^ "Monday, 28 November 1955, Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore)".
  10. ^ "Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Tuesday 06 April 1954" – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Asian Games 1954". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  12. ^ "Monday, 20 August 1956, Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore)".
  13. ^ "Saturday, 18 August 1956, Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore)".
  14. ^ "NO IMPROVEMENT IN COLONY SOCCER Singapore Standard, 14 September 1956, Page 14". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. 14 September 1956.
  15. ^ "Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Saturday 10 May 1958" – via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ^ "Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Saturday 24 May 1958". British Newspaper Archive.
  17. ^ "فٹ بال ہیروز کی دُنیا: قومی سطح پر پاکستان کے ریکارڈ ساز کپتان ہارون یوسف" [World of Football Heroes: Pakistan's National Level Record-Breaking Captain Haroon Yousaf]. Daily Dunya (in Urdu). Archived from the original on 4 January 2025. Retrieved 4 January 2025.