Atif Bashir

Atif Qureshi Bashir is a former professional football player who played as a defender. Born in Germany, he represented the Pakistan national team during his active playing years.

Early life and education

Bashir was born on 3 April 1985 in Berlin, Tiergarten. He is the son of a German-Pakistani father and a Cypriot Turkish mother. His upbringing involved diverse cultural influences from both his parents. He began playing football at the age of 8 at Hertha BSC Berlin. During his youth, he also had stints at Hertha Zehlendorf.

Short term loans occurred due to interests from clubs such as Tasmania Berlin and Tennis Borussia. He spent 7 years as a youth player at professional clubs including Hertha Berlin and Cardiff City. These early years established his ability to play as a defender at both right-back and centre of defence.

Career

After leaving Cardiff City, Bashir signed for Afan Lido in 2004. He played 11 games and scored 1 goal for the club during that period. In 2005, he moved to Maesteg Park A.F.C. where he spent one season. He made 34 appearances and scored two goals while playing for them.

He joined Cardiff Grange Quins in 2007 and made eight appearances in the Welsh Premier League. Following a short spell at Haverfordwest County A.F.C., he moved to Barry Town. He became a fans' favourite at Barry Town and was the club's first international player. Although he moved to Bridgend Town in 2010, he returned to Barry Town later that same year.

Bashir sought opportunities in England through several trials. In July 2010, he trialed with Luton Town and impressed fans during a pre-season friendly against Dunstable Town. Despite this, manager Richard Money did not offer him a contract. He also had a trial with Histon in August 2010 after playing against Dagenham & Redbridge. A transfer to Histon appeared likely until manager John Beck resigned. He undertook further trial spells with AFC Telford United in October and November 2010.

In July 2011, he featured for Newport County in a pre-season friendly match against Mangotsfield United. His club career faced difficulties during the 2012–13 season when he sustained an injury against Haverfordwest. This injury sidelined him for the remainder of that season and potentially the 2013–14 season. He returned to action for Barry Town at the start of the 2014–15 season. After playing a few games, he joined local rivals Dinas Powys.

Bashir represented Pakistan on the international stage after being called up in 2008. He could not join the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup squad because his Pakistani passport had not been issued yet. He made his international debut in the 2008 SAFF Championship against the Maldives. He also faced India and Nepal during the first round of that tournament.

In October 2010, he served as one of three overage players for an under-23 Pakistan squad at the Asian Games in China. During the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualifying campaign in March 2011, he played in the defence alongside Zesh Rehman. He scored a long-range goal to help Pakistan defeat Chinese Taipei 2–0. This victory allowed Pakistan to finish third in Group B.

He featured in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh during June and July 2011. He also participated in the 2011 SAFF Championship. A knee injury sustained while playing for Barry Town in late 2012 ended his international career. He hinted at a possible return to the national side in 2014.

Personal life

Bashir has experience working in modelling outside of his footballing pursuits. He began studying for a degree in Quantity Surveying at the University of Glamorgan in September 2008. In September 2011, he was awarded a full university football scholarship. He represented his university at the highest level in the United Kingdom through the BUCS football league.