Arif Mehmood

Arif Mehmood
Personal information
Date of birth (1983-06-21) 21 June 1983 (age 42)
Place of birthMultan, Pakistan
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
PositionForward
Youth career
1998–2001WAPDA
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2001–2015WAPDA283(188)
Total283(188)
International career
2002–2004Pakistan U23
2003–2012Pakistan21(7)
Medal record
Representing  Pakistan
WinnerSouth Asian Games2004
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Arif Mehmood (born 21 June 1983) is a Pakistani former footballer who played as a striker.[1] He has been the top-scorer in the Pakistan Premier League five times, leading the charts in 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10 and 2010–11.

Early life

Mehmood was born on 21 June 1983 in Multan in the Punjab province of Pakistan. He completed his studies from Government Comprehensive Boys High School and graduated in engineering from Government Technology College.[2]

Club career

Mehmood started his career with the amateur team Young Gulshan Multan, from where WAPDA scouted him and selected him in their youth team in 1998.[2] Mehmood got called up to the senior team in the 2004-05 Pakistan Premier League season, where he scored 20 goals in 30 appearances, earning the top-scorer award. WAPDA won their first Premier League title and fifth league title, Mehmood contributing substantially to the title win.[3] WAPDA qualified for the 2005 AFC President's Cup after winning the league. They were placed in Group B, with Blue Star SC, FC Dordoi Bishkek and Phnom Penh Crown FC. Mehmood scored two goals in three appearances, which included the only goal of the match against Dordoi Bishkek.[4][5]

In 2005-06 Pakistan Premier League season WAPDA finished Army FC, and repeating the same feat in 2006-07 Pakistan Premier League, although this time Mehmood finished as top scorer after scoring 19 goals in 20 appearances.

Mehmood won the league for a second time in 2007-08 Pakistan Premier League after beating Army in the last day of the season and winning the league by 1 point. Mehmood was again the top scorer, scoring 21 goals in 26 games. WAPDA qualified for 2008 AFC President's Cup where they finished bottom of the group.

Mehmood got his hands on more silverware after winning the league again in 2008-09 Pakistan Premier League season. In this process they qualified for 2009 AFC President's Cup. Mehmood scored a brace against Taiwan Power Company, WAPDA won the game 1–3, finishing second in the group.[6] WAPDA once again faced their group Regar-TadAZ in the semi-finals, WAPDA lost the game 4–3 in extra time with Mehmood scoring the second goal for WAPDA and third goal of the match in the 84th minute.[7]

In 2009–10, WAPDA ended third position but Mehmood was declared the top scorer for the fourth time with 20 goals. In 2010–11, Pakistan WAPDA was able to claim the title of national champion for the sixth time thanks to Mehmood's 21 goals.[8]

International career

Mehmood was first selected for the Pakistan national under-19 team in 2000 and went to Sri Lanka. Later played in the 2002 Asian Games in South Korea.[2]

Mehmood earned his first senior international cap in 2003 during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in a 0–2 loss against Kyrgyzstan.[1] He scored his first international goal in a 3–0 victory against India in 2005.[9][1]

He was also called by the Pakistan under-23 national team for the 2004 South Asian Games, where he helped Pakistan win the gold medal.[10]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueLeague CupAsia[11]Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
WAPDA2003[12]65––65
2004–05[13]3020––3020
2005–06[14]221674323222
2006–07[15]201222–2214
2007–08[16]2621––2621
2008–09[17]261855433526
2009–10[18]262045–3025
2010–11[19]302156303828
2011–12[20]3016–313016
2012–13[21]211443–2517
2013–14[22]3019––3019
2014–15[23]221142–2613
Total2891933127136333226
Career total2891933127136333226

International

Appearances and goals by year and competition[1]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Pakistan200320
200571
200831
200943
201152
Total217

International goals

U-23

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef.
131 January 2010MA Aziz Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh Afghanistan1–11–22010 South Asian Games[24]

Senior

Scores and results list Pakistan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mehmood goal.
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef.
118 June 2005Punjab Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan India3–03–0Friendly[9]
210 October 2008Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Malaysia1–41–4Friendly[25]
38 December 2009Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh Bhutan3–07–02009 South Asian Football Federation Championship[26]
44–0
57–0
621 March 2011MBPJ Stadium, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia India1–01–32012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification[27]
725 March 2011MBPJ Stadium, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia Chinese Taipei1–02–02012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification

Honours

WAPDA

Individual

Pakistan U23

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Arif Mehmood (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com.
  2. ^ a b c "فٹ بال ہیروز کی دنیا" [World of Football Heroes]. Daily Dunya (in Urdu). 2013-04-14. Archived from the original on 2025-02-06.
  3. ^ Ahsan, Ali (2011-02-02). "A history of football in Pakistan — Final part". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  4. ^ "2005 AFC President Cup" (PDF). AFC. AFC. May 7, 2005. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  5. ^ "2005 AFC President Cup" (PDF). AFC. AFC. May 9, 2005. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  6. ^ "2009 AFC President Cup" (PDF). AFC. AFC. May 18, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  7. ^ "2009 AFC President Cup semi-finals". AFC. AFC. September 25, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  8. ^ Agencies (2010-12-31). "PPFL concludes; Wapda stroll into AFC President's Cup". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-07-12.
  9. ^ a b "Pakistan beat India, tie football series". Rediff. 2005-06-19.
  10. ^ "9th South Asian Federation Games 2004 (Pakistan)". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  11. ^ Refers to the AFC President's Cup.
  12. ^ "Pakistan 2003". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  13. ^ "Pakistan 2004". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  14. ^ "Pakistan 2005". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  15. ^ "Pakistan 2006/07". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  16. ^ "Pakistan 2007/08". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  17. ^ "Pakistan 2008/09". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  18. ^ "Pakistan 2009/10". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  19. ^ "Pakistan 2010/11". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  20. ^ "Pakistan 2011/12". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  21. ^ "Pakistan 2012/13". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  22. ^ "Pakistan 2013/14". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  23. ^ "Pakistan 2014/15". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2023-07-07.
  24. ^ "11th South Asian Federation Games 2010 (Bangladesh)". RSSSF. February 18, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  25. ^ "International Friendly Matches 2008". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  26. ^ "Arif hat-trick helps Pakistan bulldoze Bhutan 7-0". dawn.com. DAWN. December 9, 2009. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  27. ^ "AFC Challenge Cup 2012 Qualifiers: Pakistan 1-3 India - Great Second Half Comeback By Team India". goal.com. Goal. March 23, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  • Arif Mehmood at National-Football-Teams.com
  • Arif Mehmood at Global Sports Archive
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