Hajra Khan (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Hajra Khan | ||
| Date of birth | 29 December 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Karachi, Pakistan | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder / Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Balochistan United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2014 | Diya WFC | ||
| 2014– | Balochistan United | ||
| 2014–2015 | → Sun Hotels and Resorts (loan) | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| 2010– | Pakistan | ||
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:03, 6 February 2016 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:03, 6 February 2016 (UTC) | |||
Hajra Khan (Urdu: ہاجرہ خان) (born 29 December 1993) is a Pakistani footballer who is the captain of the Pakistan women's national football team.[1] She plays as a striker or midfielder.
Seldom has a youngster made such an impact in a major national tournament as Khan did at the Pakistan National Women’s Football Championships from 2008 to 2014. With becoming the top scorer of the tournament in 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2014 and then for Balochistan United Women's Football Club.
Her exceptional performances caught the eye of many football enthusiasts and not surprisingly she became part of Pakistan national team in 2009 which she leads as Captain since 2014.
So it comes as no surprise that Hajra originally wanted to become a professional athlete and it was not until 2008 that she decided to pursue a career in football, when she was signed to Diya Women Football Club.
Early and Personal Life
Hajra Khan was born on December 29, 1993 in Karachi, Pakistan.[2] From an early age, Khan's dream was to become a professional athlete but not a footballer. She was discovered by Diya Women Football Club coach Sadia Sheikh, when she was looking for provincial team. Khan debuted aged 14 and scored nine goals in three games for DWFC, which won her the Top Scorer of the tournament award.
Club Career
In January 2014 decided to leave Diya and join Balochistan United.[3] Khan won the Pakistani women's football championship with Balochistan United in 2014, scoring the only goal against former club Diya in the final.[4] She then accepted an offer to play for Maldivian club Sun Hotels and Resorts FC in the FAM Women's Football Championship.[5]
In summer 2015, Khan spent a month in Germany and attended pre-season trials with four clubs. She was unable to accept a transfer offer from MSV Duisburg due to visa issues.[6] She became the only Pakistani player to score 100 goals in her club career.
Hajra currently plays for Balochistan United Women's Football Club, Pakistan and SHR Maldives Club. She joined SHR Maldives club in 24 May 2015.
Current Club
- Balochistan United Women Football Club (BUWFC), Quetta, Pakistan
Former Clubs
- Diya Women Football Club (DWFC), Karachi, Pakistan
- Sun Hotels and Resorts Football Club (SHR), Maldives
Club Statistics
| Year | Team | Appearance | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-13 | Diya Women Football Club (DWFC) | 21 | 41 |
| 2013-14 | Sun Hotels and Resorts Football Club (SHR) | 5 | 3 |
| 2014-present | Balochistan United Women Football Club (BUWFC) | 13 | 53 |
International career
In 2009, Khan was selected in the Pakistan national team for the 2010 South Asian Games in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[7] After Khan's participation at this event, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) selected her for a FIFA women's football coaching course in Colombo, Sri Lanka.[8] In December 2010, She played in the inaugural SAFF Women's Championship, helping Pakistan reach the semi-final.
The 21 year old Hajra Khan made history for Pakistani national women football team when she invited to top three German football clubs SGS Essen, FSV Gütersloh and VFL Sindelfingen to play, she spent three weeks there and played pre-season trials. Being a Pakistani international footballer that opportunity was an important milestone in my career, she said. Play in Europe has been one of those dreams that I have been aiming for since the very beginning, she said.
She was the first Pakistani women footballer to sign an international contract in 2014 with Sun Hotels & Resorts Football Club[9] to play in the Maldives National Women’s league.
International Statistics
| Year | Team | Appearance | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-present | Pakistan women's national football team | 16 | 5 |
As an Athlete
Marathon
Football was not only the game she excelled in, as a teenager she competed for Pakistan at the Salwan International Marathon in India, finishing at 47th place out of 7,000 participants.
Basketball
In school days she was the part of her school basketball team. She led to win a gold medal for her school basketball team at the UAE Inter-school Basketball Championship in Dubai. Hajra carries the title like a true champion.
Netball
At the 2011 South Asian Beach Games in Hambantota, Sri Lanka, the talented young athlete even helped the Pakistan National Netball Team bring home a bronze medal.[10]
References
- ^ "Hajra Khan – national Hero of women football | FootballPakistan.com (FPDC)". www.footballpakistan.com. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ "Hajra's footballing journey and her four aspirations - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ Naveed, Malik Riaz Hai (17 January 2014). "FPDC Exclusive: Hajra Khan moving from Diya to BU". Football Pakistan. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ^ Naveed, About Malik Riaz Hai (13 February 2014). "Winner of All Sindh Noor Women Football Championship crowned: Balochistan United Women Football Club". Football Pakistan. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ^ Raheel, Natasha (14 January 2015). "Hajra's footballing journey and her four aspirations". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ^ Raheel, Natasha (24 August 2015). "Back from Germany: Hajra content with her stint in Europe". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
- ^ "Hajra links up with Maldives' top club". dawn.com. Dawn. June 3, 2014. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
- ^ "Pride of Pakistan : Hajra Khan". DailyTimes. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ "Germany calling: Hajra to create history with trip to Europe - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
- ^ "Hajra Khan handed Trials in German Bundesliga | DESIblitz". DESIblitz. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
External links
- Profile at Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)