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Zakaria Pintoo, who captained the Shadhin Bangla football team that inspired millions during Bangladesh’s Liberation War, has died at the age of 81.
Pintoo had been admitted to a hospital in Dhaka on Sunday due to complications from heart disease. The Bangladesh Football Federation confirmed the death of the legendary footballer on Monday.
Saidur Rahman Patel, the organiser of the Shadhin Bangla football team, passed away on Aug 8 after a long battle with cancer, reports bdnews24.com.
In 1971, a group of brave, pro-independence footballers formed a team and played 16 matches across India with the aim of garnering public support and raising funds for the Liberation War. The money from these matches were used to support freedom fighters. Pintoo led the team.
After the war, he returned to Bangladesh and took over as the captain of the national team. Under his leadership, Bangladesh took part in the 1973 Merdeka Cup in Malaysia.
After hanging up his boots, he joined the Mohammedan Sporting Club as a football organiser.