Kaleemullah Khan ( ur, ; born 20 September 1992
) is a
Pakistani footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
who plays in the
Iraqi Premier League
The Iraqi Premier League ( ar, الدوري العراقي الممتاز) is the top level of the Iraqi football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it is operated by the Iraq Football Association (IFA) and operates on a system of promotion ...
for
Zakho FC
Zakho Sport Club, also spelled as Zaxo Sport Club ( ku-2, یانا زاخو یا وهرزشی / ''Yana Zaxo ya Werzişî'') is a sports club based in Zakho, Iraqi Kurdistan. Zakho SC's biggest rivals are also their neighbours Duhok SC, with wh ...
and the
Pakistan national team. Khan plays as a
midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
or
forward, and has been deployed in a variety of attacking roles – as an
attacking midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
,
second striker
Forwards (also known as attackers) are outfield positions in an association football team who play the furthest up the pitch and are therefore most responsible for scoring goals as well as assisting them. As with any attacking player, the role ...
,
centre forward and on either
wing
A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is e ...
.
He is the first Pakistani player ever to play and score in United States and also the first Pakistan-born player ever to play against an English Premier League team (
Sunderland AFC). He also holds the record of being the first Pakistani player ever to score 100 career goals in club competitions. He has been praised for his positioning, teamwork and stamina, and has shown consistency in scoring and creating goals.
Personal life
Khan was born in
Chaman
Chaman ( Balochi, Pashto and ur, ) is a city and recently claimed as a new district of Balochistan named Chaman District as it was earlier a part of district Qila Abdullah District located on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. It is the capital o ...
,
Balochistan
Balochistan ( ; bal, بلۏچستان; also romanised as Baluchistan and Baluchestan) is a historical region in Western and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. ...
.
Khan had a tough childhood growing up in Chaman, a Pakistani city that borders Afghanistan and falls in the main NATO route from Pakistan to Afghanistan.
Growing up Kaleemullah saw all aspects of life closely – to growing up playing football in the empty barren grounds with no amenities.
Kaleemullah struggled hard and traveled for two days sitting on the floor of an unreserved compartment in a train and reached for his first selection. His struggle and life is now a subject of an upcoming documentary film.
Khan is now the first Pakistani footballer to sign for an international football management agency.
Career
A product of KRL's
youth system
In sporting terminology, a youth system (or youth academy) is a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team in the future if t ...
, he made his first-team breakthrough in the
2009 season; he played almost every game as the club won the
league
League or The League may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band
* ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football
Sports
* Sports league
* Rugby league, full contact footba ...
and
cup double
A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another.
Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to:
Film and television
* Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character
* ...
and qualified for the
President's Cup
The Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world minus Europe. Europe competes against the United States in a similar but considerably ...
. Khan scored 35 goals in all competitions in the
2012 season as KRL won a historic double; the league title, cup and qualified for the
President's Cup
The Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world minus Europe. Europe competes against the United States in a similar but considerably ...
reaching the final in 2013, scoring 5 goals in the competition. Khan won his fourth league title with KRL in
2013 season and went on to sign for Dordoi in 2014, where he played a major role in helping the team win a
treble; the league title,
league cup
In several sports, most prominently association football, a league cup or secondary cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament t ...
and
super cup, scoring 18 goals and receiving the award for the league's highest top goalscorer, and was also named as the Best Player of Kyrgyzstan League.
On 18 June 2015 it was announced that Kaleemullah had signed with the
Sacramento Republic of the
United Soccer League
United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues currently organized are the ...
on a four-month contract, the third tier of the United States soccer league system.
Khan earned a call-up to the Pakistan national team in 2011. At the
2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification
The 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification phase determined the teams which advanced to the final tournament. The qualification draw was held on 11 December 2012, in AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Qualified nations
;Notes
Format
Twenty te ...
he scored his first international goal against
Macau
Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a p ...
as Pakistan won the match 2–0. In 2014, Khan was named captain of the national team.
Khan Research Laboratories
Early years
Khan is a product of
Khan Research Laboratories
The Dr. A. Q. Khan Research Laboratories, ( ur, ) or KRL for short, is a federally funded, multi-program national research institute and national laboratory site primarily dedicated to uranium enrichment, supercomputing and fluid mechanics. It ...
youth academy
In sporting terminology, a youth system (or youth academy) is a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team in the future if t ...
, starting his football career in the
2009 season. He made his debut on 27 July 2009 in a 3–0 win against
Air Force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
, scoring his first goal in the 69th minute. He finished 2009 season with 4 goals in all competitions. During the 2010 season, Khan was soon promoted to the first team by KRL manager Sajjad Mahmood. Khan took his chance and was an important player in KRL's
Challenge Cup-winning squad of the
2010 season, scoring the second goal of the 4–0 win against
Pakistan Navy in the
cup final. Khan also made his debut
AFC President's Cup
The AFC President's Cup was an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held between 2005 and 2014.
The competition targeted emerging football nations, and wa ...
on 10 May 2010 in a 2–1 win against
Naga Corp from
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...
, scoring both the goals in the continental club competition.
Khan won the
Pakistan Premier League
The Pakistan Premier League (PPL; ur, پاکستان پریمیئر لیگ) is a Pakistani professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Pakistan football league system, it is the country's primary football compe ...
with Khan Research Laboratories in
2011 as KRL set a Pakistan Premier League record scoring the most points in a season in the Pakistan Premier League with 77 points.
Khan also won the Challenge Cup with KRL (1–0) against rivals
K-Electric
Electric (KE) ( ur, ) (formerly known as Karachi Electric Supply Company / Karachi Electric Supply Corporation Limited) is a Pakistani investor-owned utility company based in Karachi. K-Electric is a privately owned and vertically-integrated e ...
in 2011.
2012–13 season
During
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
season, he became involved in the first-team under then manager
Tariq Lutfi
Umar Farooq Tariq Lutfi (born 20 September 1951) is a Pakistani coach and former player. He is the manager of Sui Southern Gas. He played his entire career at Pakistan Airlines. He was also the caretaker manager of the Pakistan national footb ...
who replaced manager Sajjad Mahmood the previous season; Khan established himself as a key player – playing almost in every match and scored 31 times to make him the league's all-time record top goal scorer. The club clinched a historic
double
A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another.
Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to:
Film and television
* Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character
* ...
; winning the league title, the domestic cup and qualified for the
AFC President's Cup
The AFC President's Cup was an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held between 2005 and 2014.
The competition targeted emerging football nations, and wa ...
for the following season – finishing runners-up in the competition losing (1–0) to
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...
's
Balkan.
Khan finished as the second top goal scorer of the continental cup with 7 goals behind
Mirlan Murzaev, scoring 5 goals in an 8–0
group stage
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concen ...
win against
Yeedzin following with goals in 1–0 victory over
Dordoi Bishkek
Football Club Dordoi Bishkek ('' ky, Дордой Бишкек Футбол Клубу, Dordoj Bişkek Futbol Klubu'') is a Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz professional association football, football club based in Bishkek, that competes in the Kyrgyz Premier ...
from
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...
and a 2–0 win against
Hilal Al-Quds
Hilal Al-Quds Club ( ar, نادي هلال القدس) is a Palestinian sports, cultural, social, scouting, artistic and youth club. It is a club that has many sports activities, one of which is football . It is considered one of the oldest clu ...
from
Palestine in the
final group stage.
Khan was awarded the player of the year award by
Pakistan Football Federation
Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is the governing body of association football in Pakistan. Founded in 1947, its headquarters are at the FIFA Football House in Lahore, Punjab near Punjab Stadium. The federation manages the men's and women's ...
and was declared the best player in the Pakistan Premier League for his performances domestically in the league and internationally at
AFC President's Cup
The AFC President's Cup was an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held between 2005 and 2014.
The competition targeted emerging football nations, and wa ...
in 2013. In
2013 season, Khan won his fourth and last league title with the
Rawalpindi side.
Dordoi Bishkek
2014 season
Kaleemullah signed for
FC Dordoi Bishkek
Football Club Dordoi Bishkek ('' ky, Дордой Бишкек Футбол Клубу, Dordoj Bişkek Futbol Klubu'') is a Kyrgyz professional football club based in Bishkek, that competes in the Kyrgyz Premier League. Founded in 1997, the club ...
in 2014, who was soon joined by his former club and
Pakistan national team players
Muhammad Adil and
Saddam Hussain, by former Pakistan coach
Zaviša Milosavljević, after his performances in
AFC President's Cup
The AFC President's Cup was an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held between 2005 and 2014.
The competition targeted emerging football nations, and wa ...
2013 on an initial five-month contract, wearing the Number 9 shirt. After impressing during this five-month stint, Khan extended his contract by signing a new two-year contract with Dordoi in July 2014.
He played a major role in helping the team win a
treble; the
league title,
league cup
In several sports, most prominently association football, a league cup or secondary cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament t ...
and
super cup, finishing as top goal scorer, scoring 18 goals in 17 appearances in the
league
League or The League may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band
* ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football
Sports
* Sports league
* Rugby league, full contact footba ...
with 3 goals out of 3 appearances in the domestic league cup.
Khan's remarkable form and greater goals to appearance ratio for Dordoi Bishkek in the
Shoro Top League as well as
Kyrgyzstan Cup
The Kyrgyzstan Cup ('' ky, Кыргызстан Кубогу, Keurgeuzstan Kubogu'') is Kyrgyzstan's premier knockout tournament in men's football (soccer).
Previous winners
Previous winners of the cup are:
Soviet time
*1939 Dinamo Frunze
*19 ...
and
Kyrgyzstan Super Cup
The Kyrgyzstan Super Cup is a football competition, held at the beginning of each domestic season and disputed between the winners of Kyrgyzstan League and the winners of Kyrgyzstan Cup. The first Kyrgyzstan Super Cup was held on 9 April 2011 at ...
in 2014 edition earned him the best player award in the league by the
Football Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic. In total, Kaleemullah finished with 21 goals in 21 matches in the 2014 season for his new club in all competitions.
2015 season
Khan made his
AFC Cup debut on 9 February 2015 in a 1–0 defeat against
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...
side
Ahal Ahal may refer to:
* Ahal Province, in Turkmenistan
* Ahel, a city in Fars Province, Iran
* FC Ahal
Ahal Änew Football Club ( tk, Ahal Änew Futbol Kluby), or simply Ahal FC, is a Turkmen professional association football club based in the ...
in the
preliminary round
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
. In an interview with
Express Tribune, Khan revealed that he has received letters from
Þróttur Reykjavík from
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
and
Chongqing Lifan
Chongqing Liangjiang Athletic () is a defunct Chinese football club. The team was based in Chongqing.
The club was founded in 1995 as Wuhan Qianwei before making their debut in the newly developed fully professional Chinese football league syst ...
from China stating that 'they want him to train with the teams for at least a week'. In May, Khan went on trial with
United Soccer League
United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues currently organized are the ...
side
Sacramento Republic for their 2015 season campaign.
Sacramento Republic
On 18 June 2015 it was announced that Kaleemullah had signed with the
Sacramento Republic of the
USL, the third tier of the
United States soccer league system
The United States soccer league system is a series of professional and amateur soccer leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. Sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, teams and leagues are not linked by the system of prom ...
on a four-month contract. At that time, it was believed that he was the first Pakistani-born player to sign a contract with a professional soccer club in the United States. About signing Kaleemullah, Republic FC Technical Director Graham Smith said, "The signing of Kaleemullah demonstrates the continued mission of Republic FC to bring the best players from around the world to our Capital City...His scoring prowess is well documented..."
He made his debut for the club on 20 June 2015, two days after signing, entering the match as a 66th-minute substitute for captain
Justin Braun. The Republic won that match 2–1.
During the match, he made several runs and showed his skill on the ball and eye for passing. He later described the match as a "dream debut."
Tulsa Roughnecks
On 16 December 2015,
Tulsa Roughnecks FC announced the signing of Kaleemullah for the
2016 USL season
The 2016 USL season was the sixth season of the United Soccer League and the twenty-second season of USSF sanctioned Division III play organized by the United Soccer Leagues.
On August 6, 2015, the league announced that the season would consi ...
. In an interview after the move, Kaleemullah said he "couldn't settle in California
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
]" but that he hoped his transfer would reignite hopes of a "dream move" to the MLS. On May 1, 2016, Khan scored his first goal for his club and first goal on American soil. By doing so, he became the first Pakistani football player to play in US and score there. “I finally scored a goal and this was important for me,” Kaleemullah told The Express Tribune. “I played as striker for the first time for Roughnecks and scored. Earlier, I was playing as a winger. So this has given me the confidence that I am good enough. I just want to thank everyone who supported me. My coach was very supportive; he took a chance by letting me play as a striker and I delivered a good performance,” said Kaleemullah. “He was happy for me that I started scoring. He said that this will benefit the team. He also told me that winning or losing is a part of the game and I just need to continue my game.”
On 22 December 2016, the ''
Dawn Newspaper
''Dawn'' is a Pakistani English-language newspaper that was launched in British India in 1941. It is the largest English newspaper in Pakistan, and also serves as the country's newspaper of record. ''Dawn'' is the flagship publication of the Da ...
'' in an interview with Kaleemullah reported that he has joined
K-Electric
Electric (KE) ( ur, ) (formerly known as Karachi Electric Supply Company / Karachi Electric Supply Corporation Limited) is a Pakistani investor-owned utility company based in Karachi. K-Electric is a privately owned and vertically-integrated e ...
on a loan deal from Tulsa Roughnecks until March 2017.
İzmirspor
On 28 July 2018 Khan signed a contract with Turkish Club
Izmirspor. His signing ceremony was attended by club's President Mustafa Gürkan. However, in August 2018, Khan parted ways with izmirspor because he didn't get international clearance certificate.
Igdirspor
Khan went on to the sign a contract with a club Igdirspor which played in the same
Turkish Regional Amateur League
The Turkish Regional Amateur League ( tr, Bölgesel Amatör Ligi) is the fifth tier of the Turkish football league system. The tier comprises a number (usually 11-13, varies by season) of groups across Turkey, each consisting of teams grouped ac ...
as Izmirspor did. On September 23, 2018, Khan made his debut for the club in a 4–0 win. Khan scored a goal and provided an assist in that match. On October 15, Khan scored in 68th minute against Cayelispor, it marked as Khan's 100th club career goal, making Khan the only Pakistani footballer to achieve this feat.
Al-Najaf
On 8 March 2019, Khan signed a four-month contract with
Iraqi Premier League
The Iraqi Premier League ( ar, الدوري العراقي الممتاز) is the top level of the Iraqi football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it is operated by the Iraq Football Association (IFA) and operates on a system of promotion ...
club
Al-Najaf FC
Al-Najaf Sports Club ( ar, نادي النجف الرياضي) is an Iraqi professional football club based in Najaf. They are members of the Iraqi Premier League. Al-Najaf has competed in the 2007 AFC Champions League.
History
In 1960, the city ...
for
Rs. 5 million. On 4 May, Khan scored his first goal for his club in a 3–2 win over
Al-Talaba SC
Al-Talaba Sports Club ( ar, نادي الطلبة الرياضي, lit=''Students Sports Club'') is an Iraqi sports club based in Al-Rusafa, Baghdad. Its football team competes in the Iraqi Premier League, the top flight of Iraqi football. Fou ...
.
Zakho
On, 24 August 2019, Kaleemullah Khan posted two photos regarding his new club but he didn't disclose his new club's name. Later on, In September 2019, it was announced that Kaleemullah signed to Zakho.
International career
Khan represented
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
at various youth levels, starting with the under-23s in 2010. He was called up to the
under-23 team for the
2010 Asian Games making his debut in a 6–0 group stage defeat against
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
. He earned seven caps for the under-23s and scored one goal, the first in a 2–0 thrashing of arch-rivals
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Whilst with the under-23 team, Kaleemullah also represented Pakistan in the
Asian Games and
South Asian Games
The South Asian Games (SAG or SA Games), formerly known as the South Asian Federation Games (SAFG or SAF Games), is a quadrennial multi-sport event held among the athletes from South Asia. The governing body of these games is South Asia Olympic ...
.
The following year, Khan's regular appearances for
KRL's first team caused
Pakistan national team manager
Zaviša Milosavljević to publicly consider him for a call-up, Khan was named in the squad for a friendly against
Palestine.
[ With less opportunity to try out new players, and with the national team facing crucial qualifiers for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup, Milosavljević felt that Khan was needed at the national level.
He was called in the senior squad for its next get-together, a training session in ]Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city ...
in March. Khan earned his first senior cap for Pakistan in a 0–0 draw against Palestine on 4 March 2011 prior to the qualifiers.[ He made his debut in this game as a substitute at the ]Punjab Stadium
The Punjab Stadium is a football stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. It was nicknamed the " Ian Rush Stadium" after the Liverpool striker visited Pakistan to promote grassroots football in the country. Muhammad Essa was the first man to score an interna ...
, his home stadium. He was named in the squad for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification
The 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification phase saw eight teams advance to the final tournament in Nepal. The qualification draw was held on 20 October 2010, in AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Seeding
The seedings are based on the 2010 AFC Cha ...
matches against India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan ( or ; tk, Türkmenistan / Түркменистан, ) is a country located in Central Asia, bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the sout ...
and Chinese Taipei later the same month.
2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers
At the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification
The 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification phase determined the teams which advanced to the final tournament. The qualification draw was held on 11 December 2012, in AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Qualified nations
;Notes
Format
Twenty te ...
he scored his first international goal against Macau
Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a p ...
as Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
won the match 2–0 on 21 March 2013.
2018 World Cup qualifiers
Kaleemullah was also called up for the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup against Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
and played in legs of the matches which were played at neutral venues in March 2015, due to security concerns in their respective countries. Pakistan could not beat the strong Yemen national team and lost 3–1 away in Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it ...
, and drew 0–0 at the home leg in Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
. Pakistan ended up getting knocked out of the World Cup Qualifiers on an aggregate score of 3–1.
2018 Asian Games and SAFF Cup
Khan had a dispute with PFF authorities as the former spoke out on the federation's incompetence which ultimately led him not to be selected for both events. PFF banned the Pakistani players to speak about this matter on any platform. In response Khan, the experienced star striker questioned how PFF could implement such an order considering none of the players are centrally contracted to them. To further complicate matters, PFF's Sardar Naveed Haider Khan accused the striker of signing a contract with Turkish fifth-tier side Izmirspor ‘for the money’ and neglecting national duty. However Khan disagreed by saying “My name was specifically omitted from the list by PFF president because of the statements I’d given about the working of the PFF and it’s very petty-minded of them to do that really.”
Style of play
Khan's role can be described as an attacking all-rounder, a player able to play in a variety of forward positions. As he came through the youth system
In sporting terminology, a youth system (or youth academy) is a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team in the future if t ...
, he was seen primarily as a midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
, but since breaking into the first-team he has been used in more forward roles. Both Dordoi Bishkek
Football Club Dordoi Bishkek ('' ky, Дордой Бишкек Футбол Клубу, Dordoj Bişkek Futbol Klubu'') is a Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz professional association football, football club based in Bishkek, that competes in the Kyrgyz Premier ...
and the Pakistan national team usually play a 4-2-3-1 formation, and Khan is most often part of the three attacking midfield behind the central striker. He can play in any of the attacking midfield roles but usually plays in the centre for Dordoi Bishkek and on the right or left for Pakistan. He has been used as an out-and-out striker on occasion.
Khan has been praised for his maturity, pace, technique, awareness and positioning. He has been compared with Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés Messi (; born 24 June 1987), also known as Leo Messi, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the ...
due to his goal scoring record by the local media in Pakistan.
Career statistics
Club
:'
*1.Includes statistics from AFC President's Cup
The AFC President's Cup was an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held between 2005 and 2014.
The competition targeted emerging football nations, and wa ...
and AFC Cup.
*2.Includes statistics from NBP President Cup, KPT-PFF Cup, Kyrgyzstan Super Cup
The Kyrgyzstan Super Cup is a football competition, held at the beginning of each domestic season and disputed between the winners of Kyrgyzstan League and the winners of Kyrgyzstan Cup. The first Kyrgyzstan Super Cup was held on 9 April 2011 at ...
, Ala-Too Cup, and Legend Cup.
International
International goals
U-23
:''Scores and results table list Pakistan's goal tally first.''
Senior
:''Scores and results table list Pakistan's goal tally first.''
Honours
Club
;Khan Research Laboratories
* Pakistan Premier League
The Pakistan Premier League (PPL; ur, پاکستان پریمیئر لیگ) is a Pakistani professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Pakistan football league system, it is the country's primary football compe ...
: 2009, 2011, 2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
, 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
; Runner-up: 2010
* Challenge Cup: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
* PFF Fair Play Trophy: 2013
* KPT–PFF Cup Third Place: 2010
* AFC President's Cup
The AFC President's Cup was an annual international association football competition between domestic clubs sides run by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held between 2005 and 2014.
The competition targeted emerging football nations, and wa ...
Runner-up: 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
;Dordoi Bishkek
* Shoro Top League: 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
*Kyrgyzstan Cup
The Kyrgyzstan Cup ('' ky, Кыргызстан Кубогу, Keurgeuzstan Kubogu'') is Kyrgyzstan's premier knockout tournament in men's football (soccer).
Previous winners
Previous winners of the cup are:
Soviet time
*1939 Dinamo Frunze
*19 ...
: 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
*Kyrgyzstan Super Cup
The Kyrgyzstan Super Cup is a football competition, held at the beginning of each domestic season and disputed between the winners of Kyrgyzstan League and the winners of Kyrgyzstan Cup. The first Kyrgyzstan Super Cup was held on 9 April 2011 at ...
: 2014
*Ala–Too Cup: 2015
K-Electric
* NBP President's Cup Third Place: 2017
Country
; Philippine Peace Cup: Third Place: 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
Individual
* Pakistan Premier League
The Pakistan Premier League (PPL; ur, پاکستان پریمیئر لیگ) is a Pakistani professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Pakistan football league system, it is the country's primary football compe ...
Top Goalscorer: 2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
(35 goals)
* Pakistan Premier League Best Player: 2013
* PFF Player of the Year: 2013
* Kyrgyzstan League
Kyrgyz Premier League ('' ky, Кыргыз Премьер Лигасы, Keurgeuz Premier Ligaseu'') is the division of professional football in Kyrgyzstan. It was created in 1992 after the Dissolution of the Soviet Union. The league is composed ...
Top Goalscorer: 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
(18 goals)
* Kyrgyzstan Football League Best Player: 2014
* First Pakistani football player to be a top scorer for any foreign league outside Pakistan.
* First Pakistan home grown player to play Professional Football in America.
* First Pakistani to score 100 club career goals (42 outside of Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
).
Records
* Record for most Pakistan Premier League goals in a 30-game season: 31 goals
* Record for most hat-tricks scored in the Pakistan Premier League in one season: 7 (2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
)
* Record for most goals scored by a Pakistani footballer in Asian competitions (club football): 9 goals
* Dordoi Bishkek Record Goalscorer: 18 goals (5th in Ranking)
References
External links
*
*
Pakistan national team profile
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Kaleemullah
1992 births
Living people
People from Killa Abdullah District
Pakistani footballers
Pakistani expatriate footballers
Pakistani expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Association football forwards
Association football midfielders
Pakistan international footballers
Khan Research Laboratories F.C. players
Expatriate footballers in Kyrgyzstan
Expatriate soccer players in the United States
FC Dordoi Bishkek players
Sacramento Republic FC players
FC Tulsa players
Pashtun people
Pakistani expatriate sportspeople in Kyrgyzstan
USL Championship players
Footballers at the 2010 Asian Games
Footballers at the 2014 Asian Games
Najaf FC players
Expatriate footballers in Iraq
Pakistani expatriate sportspeople in Iraq
Asian Games competitors for Pakistan
Kyrgyz Premier League players