Iqbal Hossain (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Iqbal Hossain

| image = Iqbal Hossain playing for Mohammedan SC in 1996.png

| caption = Iqbal with Mohammedan SC in 1996

| image_size =

| fullname = Mohammed Iqbal Hossain

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|7|7|df=y}}

| birth_place = Gazipur, Bangladesh

| height = {{height|m=1.80}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

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| youthyears1 =

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| years1 = 1993–1994

| clubs1 = Agrani Bank

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| years2 = 1995–1996

| clubs2 = Dhaka Abahani

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| years3 = 1996–1997

| clubs3 = Mohammedan

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| years4 = 1997–1998

| clubs4 = Muktijoddha Sangsad

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| years5 = 1999–2003

| clubs5 = Dhaka Abahani

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| years6 = 2003–2004

| clubs6 = Brothers Union

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| years7 = 2005–2006

| clubs7 = Muktijoddha Sangsad

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| nationalyears1 = 1994

| nationalteam1 = Bangladesh U16

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| nationalyears2 = 1996

| nationalteam2 = Bangladesh U19

| nationalcaps2 =

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| nationalyears3 = 1997–2001

| nationalteam3 = Bangladesh

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{{Medal|Country|{{fb|BAN}}}}

}}

Iqbal Hossain ({{langx|bn|ইকবাল হোসেন}}; born 7 July 1975) is a Bangladeshi retired professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He began his career playing in the Dhaka Premier Division League for Agrani Bank SC before moving to Abahani Limited Dhaka.{{Cite web|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/619/Iqbal_Hossain.html|title=Iqbal Hossain (Player)|first=Benjamin|last=Strack-Zimmermann|website=www.national-football-teams.com|access-date=2022-03-09|archive-date=2022-03-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309111720/https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/619/Iqbal_Hossain.html|url-status=live}} Iqbal was also part of the 1999 South Asian Games winning Bangladesh team. He represented the Bangladesh national team between 1997 and 2001.

International career

Iqbal was a key player in the Bangladesh team, for coach Samir Shaker. Iqbal was known as a very skilled and hardworking footballer in his playing life. He first came into the national team limelight during the 1999 SAFF Gold Cup, were Bangladesh reached the final, only to suffer a 1–0 defeat against India. During the 1999 South Asian Game, he had to face three dope tests during the tournament, which Bangladesh ended up winning. According to Iqbal, one of the team's players were usually selected by lottery for a dope test and unfortunately for him, he was selected for test three times during the tournament, both before the semi-finals and final. He also stated that even after the nations victory in the final, against hosts Nepal, the officials asked for him to attend another dope test.{{Cite web|url=https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%B6%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A5-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A3-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2#:~:text=%E0%A7%A7%E0%A7%AF%E0%A7%AF%E0%A7%AF%20%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%87%20%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BF%20%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%9A%20%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0,%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87%20%E0%A6%AF%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8%20%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BE%20%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2%20%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9C%E0%A5%A4|title=দশরথ স্টেডিয়ামের দক্ষিণ দিকের সেই গোলপোস্ট আর একজন ইকবাল|first=রাশেদুল|last=ইসলাম|website=Prothomalo}}

Goal.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%"
1.	24 April 1999	Fatorda Stadium, Goa	{{fb\|PAK}}	align=center \| 1–0	align=center \| 4–0	1999 SAFF Championship

Post-playing career

Iqbal won the BFF elections in 2012 and 2016 as an executive member. He was team manager (team leader) of the Bangladesh national team during 2015 SAFF Championship in India, and also during the 2015 Bangabandhu Cup which was held in Dhaka.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jagonews24.com/sports/football/670352|title=যে কারণে ম্যানেজার ইকবালকে জড়িয়ে ধরলেন ফুটবলাররা|website=jagonews24.com|access-date=2022-03-09|archive-date=2022-03-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309111301/https://www.jagonews24.com/sports/football/670352|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.kalerkantho.com/print-edition/sports/2014/11/14/150706|title=ফুটবল উন্নয়নে একাডেমির বিকল্প নেই|date=November 15, 2014|website=www.kalerkantho.com|access-date=February 15, 2023|archive-date=February 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230215074026/https://www.kalerkantho.com/print-edition/sports/2014/11/14/150706|url-status=live}}

On 14 March 2021, he was once again made the team manager for the national team, this time under Jamie Day for the 2021 Three Nations Cup, held in Nepal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.jagonews24.com/sports/football/650699|title=নেপাল সফরে জাতীয় দলের ম্যানেজার ইকবাল|website=jagonews24.com|access-date=2022-03-09|archive-date=2022-03-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313224727/https://www.jagonews24.com/sports/football/650699|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ittefaq.com.bd/232779/%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF-%E0%A6%85%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%9C|title=ইকবালের জন্য অন্যরকম ফাইনাল আজ|website=দৈনিক ইত্তেফাক}}

On 9 March 2022, the BFF reappointed Iqbal as team manager under national team head coach, Javier Cabrera.{{Cite web|url=https://www.odhikar.news/sports/220500|title=জামালদের নতুন সহকারী কোচ হাসান আল মামুন|website=Odhikar}}