Pakistan’s top striker Kaleemullah has confirmed that he is training with Iraq’s Al-Najaf FC as he has joined them after a Rs.5million deal for four months. The 26-year-old had been playing in a Turkish league with Igdirspor, an amateur league, earlier after finishing up with Major Soccer League team Tulsa Roughnecks and before that he played for Sacramento Republic in the USA. Kaleemullah had also been among the first players along with Muhammad Adil to sign up with a foreign club, FC Dordoi, after proving their worth in Pakistan’s domestic league and playing for the national side. “It’s a new club, new coach, new players, it is a new challenge for me,” Kaleemullah was quoted as saying from Najaf. “This is probably the best opportunity for me in my career. This is going to be their second phase in the league, so the first match will take place soon. I’m hoping to prove my skills here too. I want to play in Gulf countries, in the US, Europe and Russia. My ultimate dream is to play for a club whose match even Pakistan football fans can watch. I want to be in such a club that Pakistanis follow too.” While Kaleem cleverly phrased his utmost desire to play at the biggest leagues in the world, he feels that coming to Al-Najaf is a step in the right direction, an opportunity that he did not want to miss and regret afterwards. Al Najaf had finished sixth in the last edition of the Iraqi Premier League, and the club also played at the Asian Football Confederation Champions League in 2007. Kaleemullah believes he would learn more about professional football in Iraq and he has high hopes to impress the fans too. The former Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) striker has come a long way from playing in the streets of Chaman.
Published in Daily Times, March 8th 2019.