3 days ago
Rayan Mohammed wins historic Pakistan call-up as Scottish-born Dundee starlet looks to break new ground
Rayan Mohammed, 19, joined the Dens Park club from Alloa Athletic in 2023 and has spent time out on loan with Berwick Rangers and Forfar Athletic
Dundee youngster Rayan Mohammed has won his first senior call-up for Pakistan, with the Scottish-born striker continuing to be a beacon for the country's Asian community in football.
Mohammed burst onto the scene back in February 2023 when he made his first team debut for Alloa Athletic at the age of 17 after scoring goals for fun in the Wasps' youth set up.
The 19-year-old has yet to make his senior bow for Dundee following his arrival on Tayside in the following summer but has spent time out on loan with Forfar Athletic and Berwick Rangers - scoring two goals in League Two for the former in the 2023/24 season.
And the Edinburgh forward's displays have obviously caught the eye of Pakistan's English-born head coach Stephen Constantine. who has included the teen in his squad for the Asian Cup qualifying double header against Myanmar and Afghanistan next month.
Taking to Instagram to share news of the landmark moment, Mohammed - a product of the famed Hutchinson Vale academy - said: "Buzzing to be called up to the Pakistan international team", followed by a green heart emoji.
Record Sport interviewed the Dens Park attacker back in March 2023 after he had made the breakthrough with Alloa. And Mohammed outlined his huge ambitions to try and make a name for himself in Scotland by emulating his idol Cristiano Ronaldo.
He said: "I just want to be the best I can be.
"Obviously my dream is to make it to the Premier League and to play for Scotland and score lots of goals.
"I've always loved Ronaldo – you can tell he's such a hard worker and I'm all for that.
"It's the example I try to follow."
Mohammed - who scored for Berwick last season in a Challenge Cup win over Formartine - also told us about what was going through his head when Brian Rice handed him his Alloa debut for the last seven minutes of a 1-1 draw against Falkirk.
"Making my debut was a dream", he stated. "It was only when the gaffer told me to warm up that the nerves started kicking in.
"You make a lot of sacrifices to get to a stage like that and making my debut felt like a reward for all the hard work I've put in.
"My heart was beating fast when I ran onto the pitch but I felt like I did well.
"I won us a penalty so I was happy with my first appearance."
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