Mansoor Khan

Mansoor Khan is a Pakistani footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Khan Research Laboratories. He represents Pakistan internationally at the senior, U23 and U16 levels.

Early life and education

Mansoor Khan was born on 20 February 1997 in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He began his footballing journey with his hometown team, Mardan Blue Star. This early period established the foundation for his professional career.

Career

Khan joined the departmental side Pakistan Air Force in 2011. During the 2011–12 Pakistan Premier League season, he made 7 appearances. He scored a single winning goal against Pakistan Airlines in the 77th minute of a 2–1 victory.

His involvement increased during the 2012–13 season when he made 13 appearances and provided four assists. Although he saw limited league play in 2013–14, he competed in every 2014 National Football Challenge Cup match for his team. He scored against Habib Bank in a 3–2 group stage defeat and netted the winning goal in the 76th minute against Karachi Electric Supply Corporation during the finals.

The 2014–15 season proved highly successful for the midfielder. After scoring against Karachi Port Trust, he finished the season with 18 goals in 22 appearances. He placed second to K-Electric's Muhammad Rasool for the golden boot.

On 13 October 2016, Khan recorded his first hat-trick against Punjab in the All Pakistan Shama Challenge Football Cup. He scored his goals in the 7th, 17th and 56th minutes to secure a 5–0 win. He also scored a winning goal against Khan Research Laboratories in the quarter-finals during the 53rd minute.

A potential move to the Sri Lanka Premier League club Air Force SC did not occur. Although the club approached Khan and three other players in December 2016, the transfer failed because the Pakistan Football Federation did not provide an International Transfer Certificate in time. Following a three-year period of inactivity caused by a FIFA suspension of the federation, Khan returned to play in the 2023–24 PFF National Challenge Cup.

Khan moved to Khan Research Laboratories in June 2024. He continues his professional career with this departmental side.

His international career began at the inaugural SAFF U-16 Championship in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2011. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory against India and later contributed to a 6–0 win over Maldives. He scored the final of two late goals against Bangladesh to help his team reach the championship match. In the final, Khan scored against India again to secure a 2–1 victory and the title.

The midfielder earned his first senior cap for Pakistan in a friendly match against Lebanon. He also represented the under-23 team during the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship qualification and the 2018 Asian Games. During the AFC qualifiers, he scored a free kick goal to help secure a 3–1 win against Kyrgyzstan.

Awards and recognition

Khan was named the player of the tournament during the 2011 SAFF U-16 Championship. He also received the player of the year award during the 2014–15 season. His domestic success includes winning the National Challenge Cup twice with Pakistan Air Force in 2014 and 2018.