Pakistan’s national football team made history on Wednesday by defeating Afghanistan 2-0 in the final of the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament, securing a long-awaited international trophy at the National Football Stadium in Malé.
The victory marked Pakistan’s first senior men’s international title since the 1991 South Asian Games, where the Green Shirts also emerged victorious with a 2-0 win over the Maldives.
It was also Pakistan’s first outright tournament triumph since 1952, when the team shared the Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament title with India under a round-robin format.
Pakistan began the final with confidence, controlling possession and creating early chances against Afghanistan. Their efforts paid off in the 24th minute when forward Shayak Dost produced a stunning bicycle kick to open the scoring. The spectacular finish came after a loose ball inside the penalty area fell perfectly into his path following an attempted effort from midfielder Otis Khan.
Afghanistan pushed hard for an equaliser before the break, but Pakistan’s defence remained composed and denied every attacking move. The first half concluded with the Green Shirts holding a 1-0 advantage.
The second half saw Afghanistan increase the pressure in search of a comeback. However, Pakistan maintained its defensive discipline and tactical organisation, limiting clear opportunities despite several attacking substitutions from both teams.
As the final whistle blew, Pakistan celebrated a memorable 2-0 victory that ended decades of waiting for a major international football trophy.
The historic success is being hailed as a defining moment for Pakistani football and a sign of the national team’s growing potential on the international stage.
Pakistan’s title-winning squad included Saqib Hanif, Yousuf Butt, Hassan Ali, Abdullah Iqbal, Mohammad Fazal, Abdullah Shah, Easah Suliman, Mohib Afridi, Mamoon Moosa, Ali Niazi, Haris Zeb, Adil Nabi, Rahis Nabi, Alamgir Ghazi, Hayyan Khattak, Ali Agha, Otis Khan, Shayak Dost, Umer Nawaz, Ali Shah, Ali Khan, Samad Arshad, and Harun Hamid.
