Saboo (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mahbub Khan | ||
| Date of birth | c. 1917 | ||
| Place of birth | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, British India | ||
| Date of death | (aged 64–65)[1] | ||
| Place of death | Bengaluru, India | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Inside left | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1930s–1940s | Mohammedan SC | ||
| International career | |||
| 1938–1946 | India XI | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Mahbub Khan (c. 1917 – 6 June 1980),[1] commonly known as, Saboo, was a footballer who played as a Inside left. He was one of the most well-known players of Kolkata Mohammedan throughout the 1930s and 1940s.
Early life
Saboo was born in the North-West Frontier Province region of then British India.[3]
Club career
Saboo played for Mohammedan Sporting Club of Calcutta throughout the 1930s as well as the 1940s.
In 1936, Saboo was instrumental in Mohammedan's 1936 IFA Shield triumph.[4] Notably, scoring a hat-trick in the semi-finals against Howrah Union to win the match 4–0.[5]
In 1940, After an early goal by Noor Mohammad in the 24th minute, Saboo would score the winning goal in the historic 1940 Durand Cup final against the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, securing a 2–1 victory.[3][6][7][8][9] As well as helping the club become the first ever Indian club to win the Durand Cup.[10] The following year, In the IFA Shield, he scored seven goals in a ten to nil win for Mohammedan SC.[11] He also played a key role in helping the team win the tournament the very same year.[12]
International career
In 1938, Saboo was selected to represent an Indian XI for their tour to Australia.[13] He was also selected to represent the team for their tour of South Africa in 1946.[14]
Death
Saboo died on 6 June 1980 in Bengaluru, India.[1]
Honours
Mohammedan Sporting
- Calcutta Football League: 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941
- Durand Cup: 1940
- IFA Shield: 1936, 1941, 1942
References
- ^ a b c "স্বস্মৃতির আখরে আর একটি নাম আব্বাস মীর্জা" [Another name at the end of the memory is Abbas Mirza] (in Bengali). Krirajagat. 1 October 1980. p. 6.
কলিকাতা মোহামেডানের কৃতী খেলোয়াড় মাহবুব খান ওরফে সাবু, মারা যান গত ৬ই জুন-ভারতের বাঙ্গালোরে, তাঁর নিজ শহরে।
[Mahbub Khan, alias Saboo, a veteran player of Kolkata Mohammedan, died on 6th June in his hometown of Bangalore, India.] - ^ "INDIAN SOCCER TEAM". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 August 1938. p. 15. Archived from the original on 29 January 2026. Retrieved 29 January 2026 – via trove.nla.gov.au.
- ^ a b "How Mohammedan Sporting's glorious past is linked to its uncertain future". Quartz. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ^ "India - List of IFA Shield Finals". RSSSF. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
- ^ The Indian Express. The Indian Express.
- ^ Faizan (28 August 2025). "Mohammedan SC's Iconic 1940 Durand Cup Victory". TFB. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ^ Mishra, Aniket (29 August 2015). "Looking back at Mohammedan Sporting's historic Durand Cup triumph". sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ^ "Amrita Bazar Patrika". 8 December 1940.
- ^ The Indian Express. The Indian Express.
- ^ "India 1940". RSSSF. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ^ "Thursday, 31 July 1941, Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore)".
- ^ "India - List of IFA Shield Finals". RSSSF. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
- ^ "I.F.A. TEAM FOR AUSTRALIA". The Civil and Military Gazette. 2 August 1938. Retrieved 29 January 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "INDIAN FOOTBALL TEAM FOR SOUTH AFRICA". The Civil and Military Gazette. 19 June 1946. Retrieved 29 January 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.