Mokhtar Dahari. - Filepic/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Legendary Malaysian striker Mokhtar Dahari has been recognised by world football governing body FIFA as the third-highest goal scorer in international football.
In a Twitter post to recognise Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi as the joint ninth top men’s scorer in international football with 75 goals, FIFA revealed that the former Selangor player was third with 89 goals.
The late Mokhtar achieved the feat in 142 games. With Harimau Malaya, he has won the SEA Games twice in 1977 and 1979 and the Pestabola Merdeka four times (1973, 1974, 1976 and 1979). He also won the Asian Games bronze medal in 1974.
This also means that he is the highest international scorer in South-East Asia.
Iran’s legend Ali Daei and Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo are joint-first in the charts with a whopping 109 goals each. Daei achieved the feat after 149 games, while Ronaldo did it in 179 matches.
