Longest serving national team athlete and arguably the country's most talented goalkeeper, Imran Mohamed, retired on Sunday, following a special retirement match.
Organized by Football Association of Maldives (FAM), the match held in honour of the former first-choice goalkeeper for the national team, pitted Imran against a team led by Spain's legendary right back, Míchel Salgado.
Imran's team proved victorious over their star-studded counterparts with four goals and conceding three.
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Vice-President Faisal Naseem and other top government officials attended the match.
Prior to kickoff, Imran, while addressing the audience, stated that he retired to give more opportunities to youth, adding that Imran's national squad replacement Mohamed Faisal's achievement as SAFF Championship 2018's best goalkeeper award was the benefit of providing youth with these opportunities.
"My hope is that Maldives would contest in more competitions and achieve great victories. I will always be there to help", said the retired keeper.
Although Imran officially retired from international football following Laos vs Maldives, at the age of 35, in 2016, he was bid adieu by the country on Sunday.
The decorated goalkeeper started his career in 1999 and has made a total of 111 appearances for the national team. He has played in a total of six SAFF Championships.
Imran presented President Solih and FAM's President Bassam Adeel Jaleel with the pair of gloves he used when Maldives defeated neighbouring India in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship Finals, in 2008.
Additionally, Imran donated Maldivian national team jerseys to both Salgado and legendary Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.
Schmeichel failed to participate in the match due to his injuries.
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