Bal Gopal Maharjan

Bal Gopal Maharjan
Personal information
Date of birth (1975-08-28) 28 August 1975 (age 49)
Place of birth Lalitpur, Nepal
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Church Boys United (head coach)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1993 Brothers Union[1]
2000–2001 Brothers Union
International career
1993 Nepal
Managerial career
2006–2010 Three Star Club[2]
2010–2011 Manang Marshyangdi Club
2012–2014 Nepal U-16
2015–2016 Nepal U-20
2016 Nepal
2016 Brothers Union
2018 Nepal (assistant)[3]
2018–2020 Nepal U23[4]
2018 Nepal (interim)[5]
2020 Nepal (interim)
2020–2021 Nepal
2021–2022 Kathmandu Rayzrs[6]
2024– Church Boys United
Medal record
Men's football
Representing    Nepal[1]
South Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 1993 Bangladesh Team
Silver medal – second place 1999 Kathmandu Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Bal Gopal Maharjan (Nepali: बाल गोपाल महर्जन, born 28 August 1975) is a Nepali former professional footballer and current head coach.[5] He was in the squad which won the historic 1993 South Asian Games gold. After his retirement, Bal Gopal has been coaching different club and national Nepali teams.[7]

Career

His major achievement during his playing career was the 1993 South Asian Games gold medal. From 1991 to 1993, he played for Bangladeshi club Brothers Union. He also appeared with Indian side Mahindra United in 2001–02.[8] After retirement, he started managerial career with Three Star Club.

Maharjan led the national team to victory in the 2015 SAFF U-19 Championship and again in 2016 Bangabandhu Cup. On 1 June 2016, Bal Gopal was appointed manager of Brothers Union on a three-month contract,[9] thus becoming the first Nepali to lead a top-tier club in another country.[10]

On 10 June 2018, he was appointed as the assistant coach of Nepal national football team under head coach Koji Gyotoku ahead of 2018 Asian Games.

On 25 August 2018, he was appointed as the interim head coach of the national team from Koji Gyotoku, after the Japanese was entangled into visa issues.[11]

On 8 September 2018, Nepal defeated hosts Bangladesh 2–0 to enter the semifinals of 2018 SAFF Championship.[12] He also won 2021 Three Nations Cup defeating Bangladesh.[13][14][15]

Statistics

As of March 2021
Record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref.
P W D L Win %
Nepal 1 January 2016 31 January 2016 6 4 2 0 066.7
Brothers Union 1 June 2016 20 August 2016 6 0 5 1 000.0
Nepal (Caretaker) 25 August 2018 31 December 2018 6 2 0 4 033.3
Nepal (Caretaker) 26 October 2020 9 December 2020 2 0 1 1 000.0
Nepal 10 December 2020 4 April 2021 3 1 2 0 033.3
Total 23 7 10 6 030.4 —

Honours

Player

Brothers Union[9]
Nepal[16]

Manager

Nepal U20
Nepal
Nepal U23

References

  1. ^ a b "Former Nepal coach Bal Gopal Maharjan to train an international football club". onlinekabar.com. June 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Machhindra dent Three Star's title hopes". soccernepal. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  3. ^ "NEPAL BEGINS PREPARATION FOR ASIAN GAMES & SAFF". anfa.com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  4. ^ "AFC U-23 CHAMPIONSHIP THAILAND 2020 Qualifiers". The AFC. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Bal Gopal Maharjan Appointed Interim Head Coach Of Nepal National Team". goalnepal.com. Archived from the original on 25 August 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Jhapa hold Kathmandu Rayzrs". kathmandupost.com. 5 December 2023. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Nepal ready to take on Afghanistan". thehimalayantimes.com. 27 August 2015. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  8. ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "NFT player — National team & Club appearances: Maharjan, Bal Gopal". national-football-teams.com. National Football Teams. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Former Nepal coach Bal Gopal Maharjan to train an international football club". onlinekhabar.com. June 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Balgopal Maharjan to coach Bangladesh's Brothers Union". thehimalayantimes.com. June 2016. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  11. ^ "Maharjan takes over from Koji". kathmandupost.ekantipur.com. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  12. ^ "Bal Gopal Maharjan Becomes First Nepalese Coach To Lead Nepal To SAFF Semifinals". goalnepal.com. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  13. ^ "Three Nations Cup 2021". ANFA. 21 March 2021. Archived from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  14. ^ "ANFA to host three-nation series". The Himalayan Times. 6 March 2021. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  15. ^ Scores, Daily Live (16 March 2021). "ANFA Publish the Fixtures of Three Nations Cup 2021". Football and Cricket News. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Bal Gopal Maharjan". living. Com. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  17. ^ "Nepal secure men's gold medal with win over Bhutan". The AFC Hub. Archived from the original on 10 December 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2021.