Sunday, the 5th November 2023 was the death anniversary of Mohammed Salim, the first Asian footballer from Kolkata to have played in Europe barefooted, mesmerizing seven thousand spectators with his skill and speed against Glaston on 28th August 1936 donning renowned Scottish club Celtic FC jersey. Salim died on 5th November, 1980. 

Interestingly, the media in Scotland has not forgotten the man. Scottish newspaper Daily Express which nicknamed Salim the ‘Indian Juggler’ has mentioned the three splendid goals Salim struck against Glaston in their report. “He balanced the ball on his big toe, lets it run down the scale to his little toe, burls it, hops on one foot round defender, and then flicks the ball to center, who has only to send it into goal.”

“The barefooted Indian biffed the ball hard to the left of the goalkeeper who, although managing to get his hand to it, was unable to prevent it going into the net,” reported another Scottish newspaper, The Daily Record. 

The newspapers also mentioned that Salim, member of the historic five-Calcutta League-winning Mohammedan Sporting, had the only protection from industrial Scottish defenders was a bandage.

Salim was picked to play again against Hamilton two weeks later when he scored from a penalty.

Salim’s 76-year-old son Rashid while speaking on the matter lamented, “Even after a span of eight decades (87 years) the media in Scotland has not forgotten my father. But unfortunately, I have not yet seen any media or any clubs and football ruling bodies in India remembering this great footballer. Several Indian footballers have gone abroad and represented different foreign teams. But my father was the pioneer and he impressed playing barefooted.”