Yousuf Butt

Yousuf Butt
Butt in 2019
Personal information
Full name Yousuf Ijaz Butt
Date of birth (1989-10-18) 18 October 1989 (age 34)
Place of birth Vanløse, Denmark[1]
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
2004–2008 Hellerup IK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2010 Hellerup IK 48 (0)
2010 BK Skjold 17 (0)
2010–2013 BK Glostrup Albertslund 92 (0)
2014–2015 Brønshøj Boldklub 1 (0)
2015–2016 Svebølle B&I 28 (0)
2016–2017 Brønshøj Boldklub 12 (0)
2017 Fredensborg BI 16 (0)
2017–2018 Herlev IF 18 (0)
2018 Greve Fodbold 7 (0)
2018–2021 AB Tårnby 81 (0)
2021–2024 Ishøj IF 89 (0)
International career‡
2011 Pakistan U23 1 (0)
2012– Pakistan 25 (0)
Medal record
 Pakistan
Third place Philippine Peace Cup 2013
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 May 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:00, 21 November 2023 (UTC)

Yousuf Ijaz Butt (Urdu: يوسف اعجاز بٹ; born 18 October 1989[1]) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. He is currently a free agent since January 2024.[2] Born in Denmark, he plays for the Pakistan national team.

Butt has played over 400 division games in Denmark,[3] and is considered as one of the best goalkeepers in South Asia due to his performance in the 2018 SAFF Championship, where he won the Safe Hand award.[3][4]

Club career

Hellerup

Butt started his career at Hellerup IK joining the club at the age of 14.[5] He made his senior debut in 2007 in the Danish 1st division at the age of 18.[5]

BK Skjold

Afterwards, Butt joined the 2nd division club BK Skjold in 2010, helping the club avoid the relegation playing 17 games in the season.[5] He played for Skjold Birkerød the following season.[5]

Glostrup Albertslund

Butt was then brought into 2nd division side BK Glostrup Albertslund where he eventually became the club captain.[6]

Brønshøj

In August 2014, Butt signed with 1st division club Brønshøj Boldklub on a 6-month contract.[7][8] He played one match for the club in the DBU Cup and winning 9–1 away against Blovstrød.[9]

Svebølle

Butt later moved to 2nd division club Svebølle B&I in 2015.[10]

Return to Brønshøj

Butt returned again to his former club Brønshøj the next season.[9]

Fredensborg & Herlev

In 2017 after a short stint at Fredensborg BI,[11] Butt signed for Herlev IF.

Greve Fodbold

In 2018, Butt moved to Greve Fodbold, where he was joined by national team fellow Muhammad Ali.[12]

AB Tårnby

In 2018, Butt moved to AB Tårnby with fellow national team striker Hassan Bashir.[13]

Ishøj

Butt moved to the Denmark Series club Ishøj IF in 2021.[13] He played for Ishøj as key player and promoted with the club to Danish 3rd Division in the same season. On January 2024, Ishøj announced the departure of eight players including Butt.[2]

International career

Youth

Butt was first called to represent the Pakistan national under-23 team in January 2011 for the 2012 Summer Olympics qualifiers under Tariq Lutfi.[5] He was previously called for the 2010 Asian Games, but was stopped by the Pakistan Football Federation due to alleged late document submission to the Pakistan Olympic Association.[14] He had bought a non-refundable air ticket and received no compensation from the PFF.[5]

He made his debut in the Olympic qualifiers as a starter against Malaysia losing the match by 0–2, conceding both goals in the first half, and eventually being replaced by Muhammad Omar in the second half.[15][16][17][12]

Senior

Butt made his senior debut for the national team in November 2012 against Singapore,[18][19] as a replacement in the second half for the captain Jaffar Khan, who conceded two of the goals in the eventual 0–4 defeat.[20][21]

He played as the main goalkeeper for Pakistan including the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers of 2014,[22] the 2013 SAFF Championship,[23][24] as well as the 2013 Philippine Peace Cup.[25][26]

After being left out for both the 2014 Asian Games and 2018 FIFA World Cup's Asian qualifiers 1st round of March 2015,[27] Butt returned after almost 5 years away to be the starting goalkeeper in the 2018 SAFF Championship, where he won the Safe Hand, the award for the most saves.[3]

He was also called for the Panjab football team in the 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup, where he made 2 appearances.[28]

On 17 October 2023, Butt captained Pakistan in his home debut with the national team in Islamabad after 11 years,[29][25] in a 1–0 win against Cambodia in the second leg of the first round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification, to be Pakistan's first ever victory in a World Cup qualifying match, which sent them through to the second round by winning 1–0 on aggregate.[30]

Personal life

Butt was born in Denmark to a Kashmiri family of Punjab from Lahore.[31] He also holds Canadian citizenship due to his father, who moved to Canada at a young age before shifting to Denmark.[31][32] Yousuf is the younger brother of Yaqoob Butt, who has also represented Pakistan at the international level.[33]

Career statistics

International

As of 21 November 2023 [1]
National team Year Apps Goals
Pakistan 2012 1 0
2013 7 0
2018 5 0
2019 2 0
2022 1 0
2023 9 0
Total 25 0

References

  1. ^ a b c Yousuf Butt at National-Football-Teams.com
  2. ^ a b "Ishøj IF tager afsked med otte spillere". bold.dk (in Danish). 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  3. ^ a b c "Nepal eye win against Pakistan in football friendly". kathmandupost.com. 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2022-12-06. Butt, the winner of 2018 SAFF Championship Safe Hand award—the award given for the most saves, is considered one of the best goalkeepers in South Asia and has more than 400 division games experience.
  4. ^ "10 footballers of Pakistani descent who have made us proud". The Express Tribune. 2014-01-07. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Editorial Staff (2011-01-30). "Camp for Thailand tour, London Olympics: Lutfi excited about Yousuf Butt's inclusion". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  6. ^ Editorial Staff (2011-10-02). "Butt out to stop Bashir in Danish 2nd Div East". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  7. ^ Editorial Staff (2014-08-08). ""I am still young but I have big ambitions." – Yousuf Butt". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  8. ^ Knebent nederlag i første kamp Archived 2014-08-09 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 14 August 2015
  9. ^ a b Editorial Staff (2016-07-30). "Brønshøj signs Yousuf Butt". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  10. ^ "Svebølle er definitivt nede". Sjællandske Nyheder (in Danish). 2015-05-17.
  11. ^ "Stor udskiftning i Fredensborg". Sjællandske Nyheder (in Danish). 2017-01-01.
  12. ^ a b Editorial Staff (2018-03-29). "FPDC Exclusive: Yousuf Butt and Mohammad Ali reunite at Greve Fodbold". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC).
  13. ^ a b Lodberg, Jeppe (2022-07-13). "Ishøj i gang med mange nye". Sjællandske Nyheder (in Danish).
  14. ^ Editorial Staff (2011-02-05). "Denmark-based goalie included in Pak team". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  15. ^ Editorial Staff (2011-02-23). "Malaysia win 1st Leg 2-0 over brave 10-man Pakistan". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  16. ^ "Pakistan stumble to 2-0 defeat against Malaysia - Latest News - DAWN.COM". 2014-12-25. Archived from the original on 2014-12-25. Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  17. ^ Editorial Staff (2011-02-26). "Lutfi to use Olympic team against Palestine". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  18. ^ Wasim, Umaid (2012-11-08). "Probables named for camp ahead of Singapore tour". DAWN.COM.
  19. ^ Editorial Staff (2012-11-19). "Pakistan face Singapore today". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  20. ^ Editorial Staff (2013-03-01). "FPDC Analysis: The curious case of Jaffar Khan". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  21. ^ Editorial Staff (2012-11-19). "In-form Singapore thrash Pakistan 4-0". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  22. ^ Editorial Staff (2013-03-18). "Pakistan go down against Tajikistan". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  23. ^ Editorial Staff (2013-08-26). "Yousuf Butt looks ahead to SAFF Cup and India clash - Exclusive". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  24. ^ Editorial Staff (2013-09-20). "Positives from Pakistan's SAFF Championship campaign". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  25. ^ a b Verma, Keshava. "Veteran Pakistani keeper Yousuf Butt set to play his first home game". Khel Now. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  26. ^ Editorial Staff (2013-10-03). "Four foreign-based players to join Pakistan in Philippines [The News]". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-23.
  27. ^ Wasim, Umaid (2015-01-04). "Shamlan's demand may see foreign-based players miss out on 2018 qualifiers". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  28. ^ "Paddy Power CONIFA World Football Cup 2018 Team List Panjab" (PDF). June 2018. {cite journal}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  29. ^ Editorial Staff (2023-10-17). "Pakistan look to make World Cup qualifying history against Cambodia [Dawn]". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  30. ^ Name. "Former India boss Stephen Constantine creates history for Pakistan". Khel Now. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  31. ^ a b "National Team, Danish Football and Being Lahori - Yousuf Butt - #Footballistan Episode # 1". YouTube. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023. 5:30 to 7:30
  32. ^ Editorial Staff (2011-02-08). "Yousuf Butt: Pakistan's future in goal?". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  33. ^ "Mujahid backs home-grown option of Shamlan". FootballPakistan.com. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 5 December 2022. Both Yousuf and his brother Yaqoob have already played for Pakistan.

External links