Yaqoob Butt Explained

Yaqoob Butt
Fullname:Yaqoob Ijaz Butt
Birth Date:9 September 1988
Birth Place:Herlev, Denmark
Height:1.94m
Position:Defender
Youthyears1:2003–2007
Youthclubs1:Stenløse BK
Years1:2009–2011
Years2:2011–2013
Clubs2:Skovshoved IF
Years3:2013–2014
Clubs3:BSF
Years4:2014–2015
Clubs4:Vanløse IF
Years5:2015–2016
Clubs5:Stenløse BK
Years6:2016–2017
Clubs6:Avedøre IF
Years7:2017–2018
Clubs7:KFUM Roskilde
Years8:2018–2020
Clubs8:Tårnby FF
Years9:2021
Clubs9:Køge Nord
Years10:2021–2022
Clubs10:Avarta
Years11:2022–
Nationalyears1:2013–2019
Nationalteam1:Pakistan
Nationalcaps1:10
Nationalgoals1:0
Ntupdate:11 June 2019

Yaqoob Ijaz Butt (born 9 September 1988) is a footballer who plays as a defender. Born in Denmark, he represented Pakistan at the international level.

Club career

Butt started his career at Stenløse, and subsequently played at the lower divisions of Denmark. In 2014, Butt was approached by Thai League 1 club Roi Et PB United in a 5 million Thai baht deal, though the move seemingly failed to materialise.

International career

Butt hunted for national team call up, first approaching the Pakistan Football Federation in 2007 at the age of 18. While he was eventually not called up due to being too young and incomplete documentation being another reason, he came into radar again in 2010, when Pakistan International XI, a team made up of European based players of Pakistani origin played against Woking FC.[1] [2] Butt was subsequently called by the Pakistan national team coach Graham Roberts for the 2010 Asian games, but incomplete documents prevented his participation.[3] [4]

He received his first international cap in a friendly against Nepal ending in a 1–0 victory for Pakistan in 2013, as a replacement for the injured international defender Atif Bashir under the coach Zaviša Milosavljević. He then played in a two-match tour against Maldives in the same month, making an impact as a substitute in the last 15 minutes in the game, where his corner led to Pakistan scoring a last minute equalizer.

In March 2013, he participated in the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification, playing against Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Macau. He was subsequently called for the 2013 SAFF Championship.

After being left out for both the 2014 Asian Games and 2018 FIFA World Cup's Asian qualifiers 1st round of March 2015,[5] Butt returned after almost 5 years away in a friendly against Palestine in 2018. He last played in 2019 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification against Cambodia, as Pakistan failed to advance to the next round.[6]

Personal life

His brother, Yousuf Butt, is also a footballer and has played alongside him for Pakistan.[7] Butt also went to school with Hassan Bashir in Denmark, who eventually played alongside him in the national team.

Career statistics

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year!National team!Year!Apps!Goals
Pakistan201370
201810
201920
Total100

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pakistan International XI Squad . 2024-06-23 . Woking Football Club.
  2. Web site: Historic game on Sunday evening . 2024-06-23 . Woking Football Club.
  3. Web site: 2010-10-02 . Five expats in Pakistan`s football squad for Asiad . 2024-06-23 . DAWN.COM . en.
  4. Web site: Reporter . Our Staff . 2010-10-02 . PFF reduces Asian Games probables to 24 . 2024-06-23 . www.nation.com.pk.
  5. Web site: Wasim . Umaid . 2015-01-04 . Shamlan's demand may see foreign-based players miss out on 2018 qualifiers . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022070646/https://www.dawn.com/news/1154919 . 2023-10-22 . 2023-10-21 . DAWN.COM . en.
  6. Web site: Wasim . Umaid . 2019-04-18 . Pakistan players hope to play World Cup qualifier against Cambodia . 2024-06-23 . DAWN.COM . en.
  7. Web site: Reporter . The Newspaper's Sports . 2010-10-02 . Asian Games camp PFF includes brothers from Denmark By Our Sports Reporter . 2024-06-23 . DAWN.COM . en.