MALAYSIA: Abdul Ghani Minhat

"Raja Bola"
(23 Disember 1935 - 28 September 2012)

NAME: Abdul Ghani Minhat, Allahyarham Tan Sri Datuk

POSITION: Striker

BIRTHPLACE: Rantau, Negeri Sembilan

EDUCATION:
- Princess Road School / Sekolah Kebangsaan Jalan Raja Muda, Kuala Lumpur (1945)
- Sekolah St. John's, Kuala Lumpur (1947)

APPEARANCES (GOALS):
- Malaya | Malaysia: 57|14/12 (58|3)
- Selangor FA: 108 (218/97)
- Negeri Sembilan FA: 3 (3)

COACHING CAREER:
- Malaysia (1969)
- Selangor FA (1970-1973, 1983-1985)

ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Bronze medalist; Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia (1962)
- Gold medalist; SEAP Games (1961)
- Bronze medalist; SEAP Games (1969, as coach)
- Champion; Merdeka Tournament (3 times as player, once as coach)
- Runner-up; Asian Club Championship (1967)
- Champion; Malaya Cup / Malaysia Cup (7 times as player, 4 times as coach)
- Champion; FAM Cup (6 times)

HONOURS:
- Anugerah Pemain Bola Sepak Terbaik Kebangsaan (1959, 1960)
- 'King of Football', Persatuan Bolasepak Melayu Selangor / PBMS (22 November 1959)

TRIVIA:

- He scored 7 goals for Malaya in a friendly match to beat Cambodia 9-2 in his very first appearance with the national team in 1956

- He scored an amazing hat-trick for Malaya in a 15-1 victory over the Philippines in the 1962 Asian Games

- He scored 8 goals in the 1968 Malaysia Cup finals against Pahang with his side Selangor winning 8-1

Sources:
www.bharian.com.my
www.nst.com.my