Football great DMK Afzal passes away

Indian sports and football fraternity lost a champion player and one of the all-time greats, DMK Afzal. He passed away here on Wednesday. He was 81.

Afzal, a member of the 1962 Asian Games gold medal-winning football team, has been ailing because of poor health for some time.

He was another of those products of the legendary football coach from the city, SA Rahim, who was instrumental in India witnessing a golden era in football when five from the city featured in the Indian team for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

Afzal was a product of an era



when many put their heart and soul into the sport because of sheer passion, and was an inspiration because of his commitment and the intense desire to bring laurels to the country against all odds.

Afzal rubbed his shoulders with some of the finest footballers ever from India, including PK Banerjee, Chuni Goswami, Tulasidas Balaram, and goalkeeper Peter Thangaraj was a tribute to his skills, which earned him a special place not just in the national team but also in the hearts of fans across India.

For the record, Afzal also played for East Bengal in Kolkata with distinction.