Arif Hossain Moon Explained

Arif Hossain Moon
Fullname:Arif Hossain Moon
Birth Date:6 January 1968[1]
Birth Place:Rangpur, East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh)
Position:Centre Back
Years1:1986–1989
Clubs1:Adamjee Jute Mills
Years2:1989–1993
Clubs2:Brothers Union
Years3:1994–1997
Clubs3:Muktijoddha Sangsad
Nationalyears1:1991
Nationalteam1:Bangladesh U23
Nationalyears2:1989–1995
Nationalteam2:Bangladesh

Arif Hossain Moon (Bengali: আরিফ হোসেন মুন; born 6 January 1968) is a retired Bangladeshi footballer who played as a centre back. Moon spent most of his club career with Brothers Union and also captained them along with Bangladesh national football team.[2]

Early life

Moon was born on 6 January 1968 in Chikonmati, Domar Upazila of Nilphamari (then Rangpur), Bangladesh and spent his childhood there. His father Mohammad Anwar Hussain was a renowned lawyer and politician. His father was also the president of Nilphamari district branch of Bangladesh Awami League.[3]

Club career

In 1986, Moon started his career with Adamjee Jute Mills in the Dhaka Second Division League. In 1987, Adamjee entered the Dhaka League following their Second Division triumph and Moon was able to make his top-tier debut that season.

Moon's next destination was Brothers Union, joining the club in 1989. In 1991 he was named the club captain. The young Brothers team made history by defeating Mohammedan SC, in the final of the 1991 Federation Cup and Moon was an integral part of the defence, as his side managed to stop Mohammedan's star-studded attack consisting of Azamat Abduraimov, in the final.[4]

In 1994, with the country's three well supported clubs– Abahani, Mohammedan SC and Brothers Union agreeing upon reducing player salaries, Moon along with many other national team players joined Muktijoddha Sangsad KC, which was at the time directed by politician and ex-Bangladesh Army major, Manzur Quader. However, Moon was unable to win the Dhaka League, during his 11-year career. The 1994 Federation Cup trophy with Muktijoddha was the last title he won before retiring in 1997.[5]

International career

In 1989, Moon made featured for the Bangladesh Green national team during the President's Gold Cup held on home soil. Eventually, he went onto represent the senior national team during both the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and 1995 South Asian Gold Cup.

During the 1993 South Asian Games, Moon was surprisingly named the Bangladesh national team captain, even with the presence of experienced players Monem Munna and Rizvi Karim Rumi. The decision made by Swiss coach Oldrich Svab was heavily criticized after Bangladesh crashed out of the competition without a single victory.[6]

Retirement

In 2012, almost a decade after ending his playing career, he was elected as a member of the executive council of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).[7] In 2018, he played a major role in the development of the Nilphamari District Stadium (now Sheikh Kamal Stadium) at a cost of Tk 16 crore funded by the Asian Football Confederation.[8] Like his father, Moon is involved in politics with Bangladesh Awami League. He served as the joint general secretary of Awami League Nilphamari district branch.[9] [10] After again being elected to the BFF executive committee in 2020, Moon resigned on 6 March 2023, stating that he could not continue for personal reasons.[11] [12]

Honours

Adamjee Jute Mills

Brothers Union

Muktijoddha Sangsad KC

Notes and References

  1. Web site: শুভ জন্মদিন আরিফ হোসেন মুন. Dailydeshsomoy. 6 January 2021. 18 October 2022. 18 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221018181538/https://dailydeshsomoy.com/%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AD-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AB-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81/. live.
  2. Web site: জাতীয় দলের সাবেক অধিনায়ক করোনা পজিটিভ . dhakapost.com. 2022-10-18 . 2022-10-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221018181541/https://www.dhakapost.com/sports/football/48976 . live .
  3. Web site: 'এলাকায় থাকতে ভালো লাগে'. Prothomalo. 2022-10-18. 2022-10-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20221018181538/https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/sports-interview/%E2%80%98%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC-%E0%A6%A5%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8B-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%87%E2%80%99. live.
  4. Web site: Brothers relegated for first time in 45 years . thedailystar.net . 17 August 2021 . 18 October 2022 . 18 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221018181532/https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/football/news/brothers-relegated-first-time-45-years-2154561 . live .
  5. Web site: ক্লাবই যখন খেলেছে 'বাংলাদেশ' নামে. Niar. Iqbal. Prothomalo. 2022-10-18. 2022-06-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20220603101410/https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%96%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%96%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87-%E2%80%98%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B6%E2%80%99-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87. live.
  6. Web site: বাফুফে নির্বাচনে ৫ অধিনায়ক . bd-pratidin.com . 20 September 2020 . 18 October 2022 . 1 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220901085814/https://www.bd-pratidin.com/sport-news/2020/09/20/568517 . live .
  7. Web site: বাফুফের নবনির্বাচিত সদস্য মুনকে নীলফামারী জেলা ক্রীড়া পরিবারের সংবর্ধনা . uttorbangla.com. 10 October 2020 . 18 October 2022 . 18 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221018181534/https://www.uttorbangla.com/209011 . live .
  8. Web site: Nilphamari set for stunning debut. thedailystar.net. 23 January 2019 . 18 October 2022 . 27 May 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190527205812/https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/football/news/nilphamari-set-stunning-debut-1691404 . live .
  9. Web site: Former national captain resigns from DSA. archive.thedailystar.net . 2022-10-18 . 2022-10-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221018210503/https://archive.thedailystar.net/2003/10/14/d31014040936.htm . live .
  10. Web site: Nilphamari regional passport office a den of corruption. Daily Sun . 2022-10-18 . 2022-10-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221018195021/https://www.daily-sun.com/printversion/details/619831/Nilphamari-regional-passport-office-a-den-of-corruption . live .
  11. Web site: 'কাজ করতে না পারায়' বাফুফে থেকে পদত্যাগ আরিফ হোসেন মুনের. Prothomalo. 7 March 2023 . 2023-03-08. 2023-03-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20230308075757/https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/o8wh7fa8vw. live.
  12. Web site: প্রধানমন্ত্রীর ক্রীড়াপ্রেমকে ব্ল্যাকমেইল করেছে তারা : আরিফ হোসেন মুন. 15 April 2023. kalerkantho.com. 15 April 2023. 15 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230415171652/https://www.kalerkantho.com/online/sport/2023/04/15/1271516. live.