Muhammad Essa

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Personal information
Muhammed Essa
Full name	Muhammed Essa Khan
Date of birth	November 20, 1983 (age 23)
Place of birth	Chaman, Pakistan
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	KRL FC
Senior clubs¹
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
-2004 2004-2005 2005-2006 2006-	PTCL FC Afghan FC WAPDA FC KRL FC	?(?)
National team
2001-present	Pakistan	? (?)
¹ Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. * Appearances (Goals)

Muhammad Essa (Urdu/Pashto: محمد عيسى خان) (born on November 20, 1983) is a Pakistani footballer (striker) playing currently for KRL FC. He is also currently captain of Pakistan national football team and is perhaps the most talented football player Pakistan has seen in recent times. He can be used as a playmaker or a genuine centre forward because of his ball holding and passing skills despite his small stature. He is also a left-footed free-kick specialist.

[edit] Career Highlights

Born in the football-mad city of Chaman in Pakistan's Balochistan province, he took up the game with great interest and passion. He was discovered by then-Pakistan team coach John Layton back in early 1999 and found his way into the Pakistan national football team soon enough.

He won the old 2003 PFF President's Cup for PTCL FC, as well as the 2004 and 2006 SAF Games Football gold medal for the Pakistan U23 football team where he was top scorer and player of the tournament in 2004. His most famous moment came when he scored from a free-kick against India in the first match of the 2005 Pakistan-India friendly series, at the Ayub National Stadium , Quetta to tie the game 1-1 with minutes to go before the final whistle. With Pakistan drawing the three match series with India 1-1 but winning on goal difference in which Essa scored a total of two goals, he was offered a playing contract from prominent Indian football side East Bengal Club, but the PFF seemingly turned it down to the disappointment of many Pakistani football fans.

He has also played for his home town club Afghan Club Chaman in the inaugural 2004-05 PPL season but played for just one season. After transferring to WAPDA FC he couldnt help them retain their PPL title; finishing second to Pakistan Army FC in 2005-06, before again transferring to KRL and helping them finish 3rd in the 2006-07 season.

There has been talk recently of a few Iranian clubs, notably Foolad Khuzestan as well as Homa FC inviting Essa over for a trial during the previous season but it couldn't be finalised due to Essa's commitments with KRL.