At age four, Tahsin Mohammad Jamshid often sat near the bench at local grounds in Doha to observe his father play football on Fridays. That experience sparked his interest in the sport.
Jamshid Thachankandy moved from Calicut to Doha in 1996 with his wife Shyma from Valapattanam. He left behind a timber business and a playing career ended by injury. On Qatar’s weekly holiday, he joined friends at nearby stadiums, and his younger son accompanied him. The boy later requested practice sessions to improve his skills.
In 1992, Jamshid received an invitation to an India youth camp but declined to represent his university in a tournament and complete his studies. He had played with notable Kerala players of the time, yet the national opportunity passed.
More than three decades later, his 19-year-old son was named to Qatar’s 26-player squad for the FIFA World Cup. This marks the first appearance by a player of Indian origin since 2006.
Jamshid described the achievement as fulfilling a personal ambition. He recalled winning a university shield as a major success and now sees his son’s participation as reaching that goal.
Tahsin progressed from the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qasim Sports Academy to Al-Duhail SC’s youth teams in 2017 and later joined the Aspire Academy. Daily transport supported his development, and coaches focused on his attacking movement and positioning. He debuted for Qatar’s under-17 side in 2023 and the under-19 team the next year. In 2024, he entered a senior league match as a substitute and soon received a national team call-up.
At 17 years and nearly 11 months, he started a World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan. His father attended the match, which ended scoreless.
Tahsin has since appeared in additional matches and holds an Indian passport despite being born and raised in Qatar. He must decide on citizenship next year, with his father indicating a likely choice of Qatari nationality.
A fan of Cristiano Ronaldo, Tahsin watched the 2022 tournament from local stands. Qatar begins its group stage against Switzerland on June 13 in San Francisco, followed by games versus Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The team is led by coach Julen Lopetegui.
Jamshid noted receiving messages of support from Kerala. He continues to watch his son’s matches from Doha, where Tahsin developed his game alongside experienced players.
