In this biography
Quick facts
- Born
- 13 November 1953
- Died
- 11 July 1991
- Birthplace
- Setapak, Selangor
- Country
- Malaysia
- Nationality
- Malaysian
- Known for
- Scoring 89 recognised international goals and becoming the enduring face of Malaysia’s football golden era
- Full name
- Mohamed Mokhtar bin Dahari
- Nickname
- SuperMokh
- Malaysia record
- 142 recognised caps · 89 goals
- Position
- Forward
Why this life matters
Mokhtar remains the benchmark for Malaysian strikers: a prolific international scorer whose name now links elite performance, public memory and the country’s national football academy.
Timeline
Key moments
Born in Setapak
Born on 13 November and later raised in Kampung Pandan, Kuala Lumpur.
Began his Malaysia career
Entered the senior national side at nineteen and began a long association with Selangor.
Won Asian Games bronze
Helped Malaysia finish third in Tehran during one of the national team’s strongest continental campaigns.
Scored twice against Arsenal
Produced two goals for a Malaysia Selection in a famous 2–0 friendly victory.
Scored at the AFC Asian Cup
Put Malaysia ahead against China in the country’s first Asian Cup appearance.
Won two SEA Games titles
Helped Malaysia take football gold at consecutive regional games.
Equalised against England B
Scored in a 1–1 draw that became one of the best remembered international nights at Stadium Merdeka.
Ended his playing career
Retired after a career identified closely with Selangor’s number ten shirt.
Died aged 37
Died on 11 July after living with motor neurone disease.
From Kampung Pandan to the national side
Mokhtar Dahari was born in Setapak in 1953 and grew up in Kampung Pandan. At Victoria Institution he developed as an all-round athlete, but football provided the stage on which his pace, balance and striking power became unmistakable.
He reached the Malaysia senior side in 1972 while still a teenager. The timing placed him inside a generation capable of competing with Asia’s strongest teams, and he quickly became its most visible attacking player.
The SuperMokh years
Supporters called him SuperMokh because his game combined acceleration with unusually forceful shooting. He could attack space, carry the ball and finish from distance, qualities that made him dangerous beyond the penalty area.
The wider record included Asian Games bronze in 1974, SEA Games gold in 1977 and 1979, and a goal against China at the 1976 AFC Asian Cup. Famous friendlies against Arsenal and England B added another layer to his national reputation.
Goals, records and Selangor loyalty
The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation records 142 full internationals and 89 goals for Malaysia. FIFA later cited the same goal total when placing Mokhtar among the most prolific men’s international scorers in history.
At club level he remained identified with Selangor through the central years of his career. That continuity mattered to supporters: his legend was built through repeated appearances in local competitions, not only isolated international moments.
A name carried into the future
Mokhtar died in 1991 at the age of thirty-seven. The brevity of his life intensified the memory of a footballer seen at full speed in crowded stadiums, but his standing rests on a documented body of goals and team achievements.
Malaysia’s national football academy now bears his name, while the SuperMokh label continues to appear in awards and youth development. His legacy therefore connects remembrance with the ongoing search for the country’s next elite striker.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about Mokhtar Dahari
- Who was Mokhtar Dahari?
- Mokhtar Dahari was a football forward for Malaysia and Selangor. Mokhtar remains the benchmark for Malaysian strikers: a prolific international scorer whose name now links elite performance, public memory and the country’s national football academy.
- What is Mokhtar Dahari best known for?
- Mokhtar Dahari is best known for scoring 89 recognised international goals and becoming the enduring face of Malaysia’s football golden era.
- When and where was Mokhtar Dahari born?
- Mokhtar Dahari was born on 13 November 1953 in Setapak, Selangor.
- When did Mokhtar Dahari die?
- Mokhtar Dahari died on 11 July 1991.
Sources and further reading
How this biography was checked
Core dates and offices are checked against the sources below. This profile was last reviewed on 31 August 2026.
- Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics FoundationMalaysia — record international players
- FIFAArgentina beat Estonia on another historic Messi day
- Asian Football ConfederationMoments and Milestones: The 1976 AFC Asian Cup
- ASEAN Football FederationRemembering SuperMokh 25 years later
- National Sports Council of MalaysiaNational Sports Council facilities — Mokhtar Dahari Academy
- Wikimedia CommonsMokhtar Dahari training — image and public-domain record
