{{Short description|Pakistani former footballer}} {{distinguish|Mohammad Irshad|Mohammed Irshad}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Muhammad Irshad | image = File:Muhammad Irshad (cropped).png | caption = Irshad in 1963 | fullname = Muhammad Irshad | birth_date = Unknown | birth_place = British India | death_date = Unknown | height = | position = Defender, Full-Back | years1 = | clubs1 = Pakistan Army | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1960 | clubs2 = Mohammedan | caps2 = | goals2 = | nationalyears1 = 1959–1963 | nationalteam1 = Pakistan | nationalcaps1 = | nationalgoals1 = }}
'''Muhammad Irshad''' was a Pakistani footballer who played as a defender. Irshad played for Pakistan Army throughout his career, and is also considered as one of the best defenders to play for the Pakistan national team during 1960s.
== Club career == Irshad was a player of Pakistan Army from the 1960s till the end of his career.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Observer 1970.10.16 — South Asian Newspapers |url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/?a=d&d=paob19701016-01.1.10&srpos=1&e=-------en-25-paob-1--img-txIN-Irshad+Football+Army--------- |access-date=2025-12-07 |website=gpa.eastview.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pakistan Observer 1969.01.23 — South Asian Newspapers |url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/san/?a=d&d=paob19690123-01.1.8&srpos=4&e=-------en-25-paob-1--img-txIN-Irshad+Football+Army--------- |access-date=2025-12-07 |website=gpa.eastview.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Friday, 29 July 1960, Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003221/19600729/169/0008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Saturday, 15 October 1960, Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003221/19601015/168/0008}}</ref> He also served as Havildar in the Pakistan Army.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=2013-03-10 |title=فٹ بال ہیروز کی دنیا |trans-title=World of Football Heroes |url=https://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2013-03-10&edition=KCH&id=218365_17700572 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250206021226/https://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2013-03-10&edition=KCH&id=218365_17700572 |archive-date=2025-02-06 |access-date= |website=Daily Dunya |language=ur}}</ref>
In 1960, he represented Mohammedan Sporting Club in the Dhaka First Division Football League. The club finished unbeaten runners-up that season, missing out on the league title by two points.<ref>{{cite news|title=NO IMPROVEMENT IN FOOTBALL STANDARD|publisher=The Pakistan Observer|page=6|date=19 July 1960|language=en}}</ref>
== International career == [[File:Pakistan national football team 1959-60.jpg|left|thumb|Irshad sitting second from left with the Pakistan national football team in 1959.]] In 1959, Irshad was called up to the Pakistan national team by Scottish coach John McBride for their tour to Burma.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 April 1959 |title=Soccer team to tour Burma announced |work=Pakistan Observer |pages=6}}</ref> The same year, he played in the 1960 AFC Asian Cup qualification.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Israel Official Games 1948-1959 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/isra-intres50.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240802233408/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/isra-intres50.html |archive-date=2 August 2024 |access-date=10 February 2024 |website=RSSSF}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Wednesday 25 November 1959 |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003221/19591125/155/0008 |website=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref>
The following year, Irshad was selected to play in the 1960 Merdeka Tournament held in Malaya.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MERDEKA SCCER: THE FULL PROGRAMME AND TEAMS The Straits Times, 5 August 1960, Page 15 |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19600805-1.2.102?qt=moosa,%20miyamoto&q=moosa%20miyamoto |access-date= |website=eresources.nlb.gov.sg}}</ref>
In 1962, Irshad took part in the 1962 Merdeka Tournament, being an instrumental player throughout the tournament, also being included in the squad list for the final against Indonesia, Which Pakistan lost 1–2.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Thursday 20 September 1962 |url=https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003221/19620920/179/0013 |via=British Newspaper Archive}}</ref> The next year, Irshad also participated in the 1964 Summer Olympics Qualification, where he played both matches against Iran.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistics: [ Team Melli] |url=https://www.teammelli.com/matchdata/details/matchdetails.php?id=28 |access-date=2025-12-07 |website=www.teammelli.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistics: [ Team Melli] |url=https://www.teammelli.com/matchdata/details/matchdetails.php?id=27 |access-date=2025-12-07 |website=www.teammelli.com}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Irshad, Muhammad}} Category:Pakistani men's footballers Category:Pakistan men's international footballers Category:20th-century Pakistani sportsmen Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Pakistan Army F.C. players Category:Pakistan Army officers Category:Mohammedan SC (Dhaka) players Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)