Malayali wait for World Cup debut continues as Kerala-origin Tahsin Mohammed stays on Qatar bench

San Francisco: The wait to witness a Malayali footballer in action on the FIFA World Cup stage continues after Qatar winger Tahsin Muhammad Jamshid did not feature in his team's match against Switzerland.

Football fans in Kerala were closely following the fixture, hoping to see the Valapattanam native make history. Excitement grew when Tahsin's name appeared on Qatar's bench for the match. However, head coach Julen Lopetegui opted not to bring the teenager onto the field.

Instead, Ahmed Alaadin, Hassan Al Haydos, Karim Boudiaf, Ahmed Fathy and Mohammed Mounir were introduced as substitutes during the game.

Who is Tahsin?

Tahsin, the son of Jamshid and Shaima, hails from a family originally from Valapattanam in Kannur district. He was part of Qatar's squad during World Cup qualifying matches last year and has steadily progressed through the country's youth setup, representing the under-16, under-17 and under-19 national teams.

The winger made his senior international debut against Afghanistan during a World Cup qualifier in June 2024. Currently playing for Al Duhail in the Qatar Stars League, Tahsin has already achieved a notable milestone by becoming the first player of Indian origin to feature in Qatar's top-flight football league.

Nineteen-year-old Tahsin Muhammad was born and raised in Qatar, although his parents are originally from Kerala. Despite representing Qatar internationally, he remains an Indian citizen and holds a special Qatari mission passport, which allows foreign-born athletes to compete for Qatar without surrendering their original nationality.

His call-up made headlines as he became the first Indian passport holder to be included in a FIFA World Cup squad.

A right-footed attacker, Tahsin is capable of playing on either wing and has built a reputation for his blistering pace. His speed makes him a dangerous weapon on counter-attacks and an effective presser when out of possession. Several of his standout performances for Qatar's youth teams have come from rapid breaks down the flanks, underlining the qualities that have made him one of the country's most promising young footballers.