Arif Mehmood

Arif Mehmood (born June 21, 1983) is a retired Pakistani professional footballer who played for WAPDA as a striker from 2004 to 2016, after gaining promotion from their youth team where he spent six years from 1998 to 2004.

Arif Mehmood
Personal information
Date of birth (1983-06-21) June 21, 1983[1]
Place of birth Multan, Punjab, Pakistan
Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Forward
Youth career
1998–2004 WAPDA
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2016 WAPDA 283 (188)
Total 283 (188)
National team
2005–2012 Pakistan 21 (7)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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.[1] In his first trial with WAPDA he manages to impress several other teams; however, WAPDA offered substantially more than other clubs.

Early life

Mehmood was born on 21 June 1983 to Haji Mohammad in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. He completed his studies from Government Comprehensive Boys High School and graduated in engineering from Government Technology College.[1]

Early 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.[1]

WAPDA first team

2004–09: Debut and early career

Mehmood got called up for the senior team in 2004-05 Pakistan Premier League season, where he scored 20 goals in 30 appearances, earning him the top-scorer award. WAPDA won their first Premier League title and fifth league title. Mehmood was a major influence in winning the title for WAPDA. WAPDA qualified for 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 includes the goal against Dordoi Bishkek, WAPDA won the game 1–0.[2][3]

In 2005-06 Pakistan Premier League season WAPDA finished Army, 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 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 added another 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.[4] 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.[5]

Career statistics

Club
As of 27 December 2015[1]
Club Season League League Cup Asia[6] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
WAPDA 2003 65––65
2004–05 3020––3020
2005–06 221674323222
2006–07 201222–2214
2007–08 2621––2621
2008–09 261855433526
2009–10 262045–3025
2010–11 302156303828
2011–12 3016–313016
2012–13 211443–2517
2013–14 3019––3019
2014–15 221142–2613
Total 2891933127136333226
Career total 2891933127136333226

Goals for Senior National Team
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 10 October 2008Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Malaysia1–41–4Friendly
2 8 December 2009Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh Bhutan3–07–02009 South Asian Football Federation Championship[7]
3 4–0
4 7–0
5 31 January 2010MA Aziz Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh Afghanistan1–11–22010 South Asian Games[8]
6 21 March 2011MBPJ Stadium, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia India1–01–32012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification[9]
7 25 March 2011MBPJ Stadium, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia Chinese Taipei1–02–02012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification[10]

His first international match was against Kyrgyzstan in 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification, which Pakistan lost 0–2 in Karachi, and the return leg saw Pakistan getting knocked out after losing 4–0 in Bishkek (6–0 on aggregate).

Honours

Club
WAPDA

Individual

References
  1. (1983-06-26) June 26, 1983"WAPDA STAR ARIF MEHMOOD, REFEREE NAZIR BALOCH". Football Pakistan. Football Pakistan. April 14, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  2. "2005 AFC President Cup" (PDF). AFC. AFC. May 7, 2005. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  3. "2005 AFC President Cup" (PDF). AFC. AFC. May 9, 2005. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  4. "2009 AFC President Cup" (PDF). AFC. AFC. May 18, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  5. "2009 AFC President Cup semi-finals". AFC. AFC. September 25, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
  6. Refers to the AFC President's Cup.
  7. "Arif hat-trick helps Pakistan bulldoze Bhutan 7-0". dawn.com. DAWN. December 9, 2009. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  8. "11th South Asian Federation Games 2010 (Bangladesh)". rsssf.com. RSSSF. February 18, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  9. "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.
  10. "PAKISTAN-CHINESE TAIPEI CLASH ON 25 MARCH IN AFC CHALLENGE CUP QUALIFIERS". footballpakistan. Football Pakistan. March 25, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
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