Mohammed Habib, who scored in the Mohun Bagan colours against Pele’s New York Cosmos and got the football legend to take notice of his play, passed away on Tuesday. The 74-year-old ex-player for India. He was the best playmaker of the 1970s.
For the past few years, Habib had been afflicted by Parkinson’s condition and dementia. His hometown of Hyderabad is where he passed away. His wife and three daughters were left behind by Habib.
Under the leadership of fellow Hyderabadi Syed Nayeemuddin as captain and PK Banerjee as manager, he won the bronze medal at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok.
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In his prime, Habib played for Mohun Bagan, East Bengal, and Mohammedan Sporting, the big three of Kolkata Maidan. He dominated the Mecca of Indian football for a considerable amount of time in the late 1960s into the 1970s.
He became known as the nation’s first “true professional” football player. It was because of his refusal to take any of the several job offers that came his way as a result of his heroics on the pitch. At the Tata Football Academy, Habib began to coach. Later, he served as the head coach of the Haldia-based Indian Football Association academy.
Habib’s playing for Mohun Bagan against the visiting Cosmos Club was one of the highlights of his career. It also included the renowned Pele playing a friendly on a soggy Eden Gardens in 1977. Habib received one of his most significant acknowledgements when Pele singed him out following the game while applauding his performance.
They played versus a visiting team that included notable players like Pele, Carlos Alberto, Georgio Chinaglia, and others in its star-studded lineup. Mohun Bagan played well in a respectable 2-2 tie, with midfield stalwart Habib contributing one of the goals.
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