Mohammed Azhar

Mohammed Azhar (born 20 January 2003) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters. He is the twin brother of Mohammed Aimen.[1]

Mohammed Azhar
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-01-20) 20 January 2003
Place of birth Lakshadweep, India
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder, Defensive midfielder, Right back
Team information
Current team
 Kerala Blasters
Number 32
Youth career
Don Bosco FA
2018–2022 Kerala Blasters
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Kerala Blasters Reserves 7 (0)
2022– Kerala Blasters 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Youth and early career

Azhar joined the Kerala Blasters Academy in 2018 at the age of fifteen, along with his twin brother Aimen, after a short spell in the Don Bosco football academy. The twins had moved to Kerala from Lakshadweep for their schooling and attended the Kerala Blasters U-15 trials, getting selected in the process. Azhar came up through the ranks along with his brother and played for the under-15 and under-18 teams of Kerala Blasters.[2] He eventually played for the Kerala Blasters in the 2022 RFDL. He played 3 games in the tournament, which was held from 2022 April to May, where the team emerged as the runners-up and qualified for the Next Gen Cup. Azhar then played for the side in the Next Gen Cup held in United Kingdom in July 2022.[3]

2022–2023: Rise to the first team

In August 2022, with the first team preparing for the 2022–23 Indian Super League season in UAE, Kerala Blasters fielded their reserves for the 2022 Durand Cup, where Azhar was included in the squad.[4] He played the entire 90 minutes in all the five games and made two assists, which includes one to his own brother in the competition.[5] Azhar was then promoted to the club's senior team ahead of the 2022–23 season along with Aimen, to train with the first team on a developmental role during the 2022–23 Indian Super League season. During the season, he played for the reserve team in the 2022–23 Kerala Premier League and the 2023 RFDL. In November 2022, the twins were sent to Poland for a three week training stint with the Polish top tier club Rakow Czestochowa.[6]

In April 2023, Azhar was included in the Kerala Blasters squad for the 2023 Super Cup.[7] He was in the match-day squad for the group stage match against Bengaluru FC on 16 April, where he remained in the bench as an unused substitute.[8]

2023–present: Contract extension

On 9 May 2026, Kerala Blasters announced that Azhar has signed a three-year contract extension with the club, that would keep him with them until 2026.[9] He finally made his official debut for the Blasters senior team on 13 August 2023 in the first group match of 2023 Durand Cup against Gokulam Kerala, which the Blasters lost 3–4, where he played for the entire 90 minutes in the central midfield position.[10][11] Azhar played one more game in the tournament on 21 August against Indian Air Force, where he played majority of the time as a right back.[12]

Personal life

Azhar's twin brother Aimen is also a professional footballer; both twins joined Kerala Blasters academy at the same time in 2018. Born in Lakshadweep, the twins later grew up in Kochi, Kerala, as their father worked at the Lakshadweep Communication in Kochi.[13]

References
  1. "Kerala Blasters academy graduates Aimen & Azhar to join Polish club Rakow Czestochowa for training". Khel Now. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  2. Santhosh, Aswathy (19 November 2022). "Kerala Blasters twins set to fly to Poland for three-week training". thebridge.in. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  3. "Kerala Blasters announce squad for Next Gen Cup 2022". Khel Now. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  4. "Kerala Blasters announces 21-man squad for Durand Cup". sportstar.thehindu.com. 17 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  5. "Aimen's brace blasts Kerala past NorthEast United". The Hindu. 27 August 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  6. "കേരള ബ്ലാസ്റ്റേഴ്സിന് ആവേശം സമ്മാനിക്കുന്ന വാർത്ത, രണ്ട് താരങ്ങൾ പരിശീലനത്തിനായി പോളണ്ടിലേക്ക്‌". Samayam Malayalam (in Malayalam). Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  7. "Super Cup 2023: Kerala Blasters announces 29-men squad". sportstar.thehindu.com. 3 April 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  8. "Bengaluru FC 1-1 Kerala Blasters Highlights: Diamantakos, Roy Krishna score, BFC through to Super Cup 2023 semis". Sportstar. 16 April 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  9. "ISL: Kerala Blasters extend contracts of youngsters Azhar, Aiman and Saheef". Khel Now. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  10. Desk, The Bridge (13 August 2023). "Twin brothers Aimen, Azhar among 5 locals in Kerala Blasters XI vs Gokulam". thebridge.in. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  11. Guha, Sayantan (13 August 2023). "Kerala Blasters FC vs Gokulam Kerala FC: Player ratings for the Yellow Army as they fall prey to their arch-rivals in Durand Cup 2023". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  12. "Durand Cup 2023: Bidyashagar hat-trick powers Kerala Blasters to 5-0 win over Indian Air Force FT". Sportstar. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  13. "Santosh Trophy: A bunch of fighters from Lakshadweep". sportstar.thehindu.com. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
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