Why Mohibullah’s refusal to give up is a lesson for Pakistani footballers

As Pakistan prepare for the 2026 SAFF Championship, which will be held in Bangladesh, Mohib Ullah Afridi is set to shoulder a major responsibility in the heart of Pakistan’s defence.

Born in Darra Adam Khel, his rise in Pakistan football has not come easily, with the young centre-back having to rebuild his career after a difficult start to international football.

Mohib is now a regular in Pakistan’s defence, usually partnering Abdullah Iqbal and Easah Suliman in central defence. However, with both players expected to miss the upcoming tournament as it falls outside FIFA’s official international windows, Mohib could find himself with far greater responsibility in their absence.

Mohib Ullah’s journey is remarkable in itself, as he was once written off after just 45 minutes of his senior international debut.

The Tajikistan debacle to national comeback

On 21 November 2023, when Pakistan played Tajikistan, Stephen Constantine handed Mohib Ullah his debut in front of a huge Islamabad crowd, playing him in an unfamiliar right-back position. It was supposed to be the beginning of his international career following consistent performances in Pakistan’s local tournaments, but things quickly went wrong.

Pakistan suffered a humiliating 6-1 defeat, and Mohib Ullah was taken off at half-time after a disastrous debut. Criticism followed from across the country’s football community and media, with his performance coming under intense scrutiny.

Rather than allowing that afternoon to shape his career, Mohib Ullah went back to work.

His redemption since that afternoon has been a story of patience and sheer hard work to get back to his best.

After returning to Karachi United, Mohib went on to play for Afghan side Aino Mina FC in two loan stints, in November 2024 and November 2025, for the Afghanistan Champions League campaigns. After successful spells at the Afghan club, he joined Bhutanese champions Paro FC in April 2026.

With the Bhutanese side, he has been rock-solid. After a solid first season, he won the Bhutanese League and also represented the club in the AFC Challenge League.

His improvement with the national team was particularly evident during Pakistan’s FIFA ASEAN Cup campaign, when he scored against Vietnam. In the 31st minute, Mohib pressed the Vietnamese centre-back into making a mistake, won possession and kept his composure before slotting the ball underneath goalkeeper Patrik Giang Le to give Pakistan a shock 1-0 lead.

The resilience behind the Vietnam goal

For Karachi United head coach Hamdan Sheikh, who has closely followed his development, the goal was much more than a memorable moment.

Speaking about Mohib’s performance, Hamdan admitted that he needed a moment to process what had happened.

“I couldn’t internalise it for a minute because he isn’t on the end of those goals very often. But I’m really happy and proud of him. It is a testament to his consistency.”

Hamdan also revealed the amount of work Mohib had put into improving his game, including two months of individual training sessions in Karachi’s heat.

“He completed two months of individual sessions and one-on-one work in the heat of Karachi because he was very poor at one-on-one defending.”

The Karachi United coach also reflected on the defender’s response to his difficult debut, highlighting his humility in recognising his weaknesses and working on the basics again.

“To then have the courage and belief to say, ‘I’m going to go back and work on my basics again’, that humility, consistency and drive are qualities that, generally, our nation lacks as individuals.”

Hamdan believes the credit for Mohib’s progress belongs primarily to the player himself.

“In my opinion, 80–90% of the credit belongs to him, while 20% belongs to our organisation.”

Mohib Ullah ready to lead Pakistan

Mohib Ullah represented several national underage groups before making his name with the senior national team.

Unlike many of his international teammates, who developed in football-rich European environments, Mohib Ullah has come through Pakistan’s broken domestic setup. His progress is an inspiration to many Pakistanis who aspire to represent their country in football. He is a reminder of what can be achieved through the right attitude, opportunities and hard work.

There is still plenty for him to prove, but his transformation from a struggling debutant into an established international defender deserves recognition.

Pakistan begin their SAFF Championship campaign against India on 5 November before facing the Maldives on 8 November. With important defensive absences expected, Mohib will have a significant role to play.

From the difficult afternoon at Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium against Tajikistan to the player he has become through hard work and determination, this is another opportunity to show just how far he has come.