In Malaysian football history, Mokhtar bin Dahari, a player from Kuala Lumpur, is revered, particularly for his achievements with the club F.A. Selangor. Mokhtar is the highest scorer for the Malaysian national team of all-time.

A powerful forward, he got the moniker Supermokh because of his resilience and playing abilities.

Learn more about Mokhtar Dahari's profile, career, records, stats, and rankings here. 

Mokhtar Dahari’s Profile

Mokhtar Dahary was a professional football player, born on November 13, 1953, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was a forward who played for Selangor FC. Because of his playing abilities and strengths, he earned the moniker Supermokh. 

He started playing football at an early age and is considered among the best Malaysian football players of all time. 

Debut 

He debuted at the age of 18 when he played for the Selangor youth team in the Burnley Youth Cup. Selangor won the match. Later, in his debut season with F.A. Selangor, he was named the top scorer.

With a total of 177 goals scored, he helped his team win the Malaysia Cup

The next year, in 1972, he played his first International match as a part of the Malaysian National Football team. His international debut match was against the Sri Lanka National Football team. He was only 19 years old at the time. 

Dahari helped the Malaysian National team win the Asian Games of 1974. 

From there on, he earned the moniker “Supermokh” because of his strength, speed, agility, and accuracy. 

He also helped Malaysia in winning the gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games, twice, one in 1977 and the other in 1979. 

Because of his playing prowess, he attracted the attention of international football clubs like Real Madrid C.F. (Christiano Ronaldo’s former club); however, he refused all of the offers because he was loyal to his country and his club Selangor. He was even recorded saying, “I live and die for Selangor.”

In 1986, Dahari played his final match against Johor and helped Selangor win the championship title once again by defeating the opponent by 6-1. 

Journey as coach

In 1986, after helping Selangor win the Malaysia Cup, Mokhtar Dahari decided to retire. 

The next year, he did, however, come out to play one more season for his beloved team.

After his retirement, he decided to mentor up-and-coming football players by becoming a coach. He even coached for his previous team Selangor at times. 

Death

Mokhtar Dahari was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease (MND), a type of neurodegenerative disease, which causes the gradual loss of motor neurons that coordinate muscle movements. 

In 1991, after battling the disease for over 3 years, Dahari lost the battle. He was pronounced dead on July 11, 1991, at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre, in Malaysia. The cause of his death was kept under wraps at the time. The press reported Muscular Dystrophy as the cause of his death. 

It was only after the release of a documentary called "The Untold Truth About Supermokh,” 19 years after his death, the world came to know about the real reason behind his passing. 

Mokhtar Dahari Stats

Mokhtar Dahari Records 

• Selangor all-time top scorer
• Malaysia national football team all-time top scorer
• Southeast Asia's all-time top scorer for men's national teams
• Asia-Pacific all-time top scorer for men's national teams
• 20th-century all-time top scorer for men's national teams (1901-2000)
• Former all-time top scorer for men's national teams 
• Former Asian all-time top scorer for men's national teams

Mokhtar Dahari Titles

Mokhtar Dahari Rankings

With 89 goals in 142 appearances, Mokhtar Dahari is the fourth-highest goal scorer in International Men’s football, behind Christiano Ronaldo, Ali Daei, and Lionel Messi. 

Check the full rankings here. 

Mokhtar Dahari, the legendary football player was the prime factor behind the golden age of Malaysian football. His legacy will inspire upcoming football players for generations to come.