M.NAJEEB

M. Najeeb scored the lone goal to help the Maharashtra state lift the 56th Santosh Trophy (beating hosts Kerala 1-0 at Thrissur) in 2000. (Ironically the goal which sealed the fate of Kerala was scored by a boy from Kannur wearing Maharashtra colours). 

M. Najeeb  represented India in a number of international tournaments for eight years. Najeeb also played for leading clubs in the country. In 2001, he was reported to be the most expensive player in the country with an annual earning of Rs 12 lakh. He was then playing for Mahindra United.

In 1995 he was part of the Indian team for the pre-Olympics in Russia. In 1999, he played for the country in the SAF Games in Nepal in which India won a bronze. He scored a goal in India's 2-1 victory in the quarter-finals. He played in the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia in 2000 and Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi. He was part of the Indian team's London tour in 2001. IM Vijayan and Joe Paul Ancheri were his teammates. 

While all his teammates in the national team got government jobs under sports quota, Najeeb did not. The reason, Najeeb doesn't know. He keeps trying by knocking at the doors of the chief minister and central ministers. .......................... read more........