# Zakaria Pintoo

Zakaria Pintoo (Bengali: জাকারিয়া পিন্টু; 1 January 1943 – 18 November 2024), alternatively spelled Zakaria Pintu, was a Bangladeshi footballer who played as a defender. He was the first captain of the Bangladesh national team.
Pintoo gained fame as the captain of the Shadhin Bangla football team during the Bangladesh Liberation War. Before the country's independence, Pintoo represented both the Pakistan national football team and the East Pakistan football team, captaining the latter in numerous occasions. In club football, Pintoo represented Mohammedan SC, one of the most popular clubs in Bangladesh, for a continuous period of 14 years.
In recognition of his contribution to the country's football, the Government of Bangladesh honored him with the Independence Award in 1995, and the National Sports Awards in 1978.

## Early life

Born on 1 January 1943 in Naogaon District, British India, Pintoo spent most of his childhood in Barisal District. In 1958, he was admitted to Jagannath College after completing his secondary examinations at Mathbaria High School. He captained the college football team into winning the Sir AF Rahman Shield and Governors Cup. In 1960, after finishing his higher secondary examinations, Pintoo joined Barisal BM College, and won the Sher-e-Bangla Cup as team captain. In 1968, Pintoo gained admission to Dhaka University, and captained their football team as they would become champions of the East Pakistan Combined University Football Championship.

## Club career
### East End Club

In 1957, a year before his admission to Jagannath College, Pintoo came to Dhaka to attend trials for the secondary team of East End Club, which participated in the Second Division. However, following impressive trials, he was given direct entry to the main team. He represented the club in the First Division in both 1957 and 1958.

### Dhaka Wanderers

Pintoo joined Dhaka Wanderers Club in 1959. His standout performance during the club's Aga Khan Gold Cup third-round victory against Sindh Youngmen's Club in his debut season helped the club reach the quarter-finals, where they lost to Ceylon.
In 1960, Pintoo played a crucial role in defense alongside Abdul Gafur Baloch, helping Wanderers become First Division champions by overtaking their arch-rivals and defending champions, Mohammedan SC. In the single league, the club only lost to Mohammedan in the final matchday. That same year, he also contributed to the club's journey to the quarter-finals of the Aga Khan Gold Cup, where Wanderers defeated Pakistan Airlines 3–2 in a third-round replay. However, they were ultimately overwhelmed by Indonesian club PSM Makassar, suffering a 0–8 defeat in the semi-finals.

### Mohammedan SC

In 1961, Pintoo joined Mohammedan SC, where he enjoyed a highly successful career. During his time with the club, he won the First Division title six times and the Aga Khan Gold Cup twice. On 7 July 1966, he played a key role in the final of the Mohammad Ali Bogra Shield, leading his team to victory over Dhaka Wanderers in Rawalpindi. Pintoo also served as the club captain from 1968 until his retirement in 1975, succeeding Abdullah Rahi. Under his leadership, the Black and Whites won the tenth Aga Khan Gold Cup in Dhaka in 1969, where Pintoo led the team to a commanding 5–1 victory over the Ceylon.
He also guided Mohammedan to First Division titles in 1969 and 1975, with the 1969 title won as unbeaten champions. In 1972, he captained the team to their first Independence Cup triumph, defeating East End Club 3–1. On 11 May 1972, Pintoo led Mohammedan in an exhibition match against Mohun Bagan AC, the first foreign football club to visit independent Bangladesh, which ended in a narrow 0–1 defeat. The following year, he participated in the Bordoloi Trophy held in Guwahati, India as a guest player for Rahmatganj MFS. In 1975, after leading Mohammedan to their first league title following the country's independence, Pintoo announced his retirement.

## International career
### East Pakistan

Pintoo first represented the East Pakistan football team at the 11th National Football Championship held in Karachi in 1960. He played a crucial role in the team, captained by Zahirul Haque, which secured its maiden title with a 1–0 victory over Karachi Whites in the final. In 1961, after the East Pakistan Sports Federation began sending division-based teams to the National Championship, Pintoo competed in the tournament as part of the Khulna Division football team. On 24 January 1963, Pintoo represented the East Pakistan team in an exhibition match against the touring China national football team. The game, held in Dhaka, saw East Pakistan suffer a heavy 1–11 defeat. In 1967, Pintoo was appointed captain of the East Pakistan team, a role he held until 1970. Under his leadership, the team achieved its first international success by winning the King Mahendra Cup in Nepal in 1970.

### Pakistan

In 1969, Pintoo made his debut for the Pakistan national team during the Jaam-e-Doosti Cup (Friendship Cup) in Tehran, Iran. During the tournament, Pakistan faced the Soviet club Spartak Moscow and the Turkish team Mersin Talim Yurdu, alongside the national sides of Iraq and Iran. In the same year, he participated in the 1969 RCD Cup held in Turkey. Pintoo was one of four East Pakistani players included in the team, alongside him were Shahidur Rahman Shantoo, Hafizuddin Ahmed, and Golam Sarwar Tipu. The team, coached by Mohammad Amin, lost 2–4 against both Turkey and Iran, with Pintoo playing in both matches. The following year, Pintoo was chosen to be part of the national team which competed under the name of PFF XI for the second Jaam-e-Doosti Cup, and later participated in the 1970 RCD Cup held in Iran, alongside East Pakistani players Golam Sarwar Tipu, Hafizuddin Ahmed and Khandoker Mohammad Nurunnabi.

### Shadhin Bangla

In 1971, Pintoo was initially preparing to fight on the frontlines during the Bangladesh Liberation War, having completed his arms and ammunition training at the Balughat camp in West Bengal. However, his close friend Abdul Jalil and his wife urged him to join the Shadhin Bangla football team formed to aid the war of independence. After receiving a letter from Syed Nazrul Islam, the acting president of the provisional government, requesting his participation, Pintoo agreed. Despite his initial reluctance, his wife's encouragement and Jalil's insistence led him to travel to Kolkata, where he joined the team alongside other players.
Pintoo was eventually appointed captain of the Shadhin Bangla football team, with his Mohammedan teammate Pratap Shankar Hazra serving as vice-captain. The team played their first official match on 25 July 1971 against Nadia XI in Nadia District. Before the match, Pintoo, with permission from Nadia's district administrator DK Ghosh, proudly waved the national flag, becoming the first person to hoist the Bangladesh flag on foreign soil. The team went on to play a total of 16 friendly matches during their tour of India.
   The DC (DK Gosh) told our team official that the team captain and players will wave the flag, not the officials. On July 25, we waved our flag in front of around 30 thousand people at the venue. That was the first time Bangladesh’s flag was waved on foreign soil. After we returned to Kolkata and there was much discussion about the incident all over India. Later we learnt that the DC lost his job for allowing us to wave the flag without his superior’s permission. He was released immediately after that event.

### Bangladesh

On 13 February 1972, Pintoo captained Bangladesh XI against President XI, in what was the first football match held in independent Bangladesh. The highly anticipated game held at the Dhaka Stadium, which ended in a 0–2 defeat for Pintoo's team, was attended by Bangladesh's President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
On 13 May 1972, Pintoo captained Dhaka XI, the unofficial Bangladesh national team, in an exhibition match against the touring Indian club Mohun Bagan AC, led by Chuni Goswami. The game ended in a 1–0 victory for Dhaka, with Kazi Salahuddin scoring the only goal in front of more than 35,000 spectators at the Dhaka Stadium. He also captained Dhaka XI to a runner-up finish in the Bordoloi Trophy in Guwahati, India, losing the final replay 5–0 to East Bengal Club.
In 1973, he was included in the first Bangladesh football team by coach Sheikh Shaheb Ali, who previously managed the Dhaka XI. Pintoo captained the team in their first international tournament at the 1973 Merdeka Tournament. He made his international debut for Bangladesh against Thailand. The game ended as a 2–2 draw, with Bangladesh losing the tie-breakers 5–6. On 13 August, Pintoo led the team to their first victory, defeating hosts Singapore 1–0 in an exhibition match played after the Merdeka Cup concluded.

## Post-playing career

On 20 July 1979, Pintoo served as the head coach of the national team during a 1–0 defeat to South Korea B in a friendly match played in Dhaka.
He received the Independence Day Award (1995) in the sports category by the Government of Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president, Kazi Salahuddin, alleged that Pintoo asked him for funds to withdraw the nomination paper of the president post in the 2012 BFF election. The allegation was later denied by Pintoo.

## Personal life and death

Pintoo's younger brother, Moyeenuddin, was also a former footballer and played alongside him in Mohammedan SC. Pintoo was married to Hasina Begum, with whom he had three daughters and one son. On 7 February 2019, Begum died while undegoing treatment at LabAid Hospital.
Pintoo died on 18 November 2024, at the age of 81, as a result of multiple organ failure.

## Honours

Dhaka Wanderers
* Dhaka First Division League: 1960
Mohammedan SC (Dhaka)
* Dhaka First Division League: 1961, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1975
* Independence Cup: 1972
* Aga Khan Gold Cup: 1964, 1968
East Pakistan
* National Football Championship: 1960
* King Mahendra Cup: 1970

### Awards and accolades

* 1978 − National Sports Awards.
* 1995 − Independence Day Award.