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Suk Bahadur
ဆွပ်ခ် ဗဟာဒူး သာပါ

Personal information
Full name	Suk Bahadur Thapa
Date of birth	15 May 1935
Place of birth	Pyawbwe,Mandalay,British Burma
Date of death	19 August 2001 (aged 68)
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Striker,Right winger
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1952	Shan State FC[1]
1952–1964	Army FC[1]
International career
1952–1970	Burma
Medal record Representing Burma Men'sFootball Asian Games 1966 Bangkok Team 1970 Bangkok Team 1954 Manila Team AFC Asian Cup Runner-up 1968 Iran Team
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Suk Bahadur Thapa (Burmese:ဆွပ်ခ် ဗဟာဒူး သာပါ) was a Burmesefootballer^[2] who served as themajor for 4th Infantry Battalion (4th Gurkha) ofMyanmar Army.^[3] He was also a dominatingtennis andfield hockey player as well as the national 100-metersprint champion which he held under 11 seconds.^[1][4] Bahadur is aGurkha from theShan State inMyanmar.^[5][4][6][2]

In 1952,Myanmar Football Federation launched inauguralStates and Divisions Football Championship to draw out talented footballers from around the country. Along with many new faces, Bahadur was selected from title winning Shan state football team. Later he played for Army football team where he teamed up with future national teammates;Hla Maung,Ba Kyu, Maung Thaung,Hla Aye, Guan Shein,Ba Shwe,David Kyaw San.^[1]

Suk Bahadur began his footballing journey at a young age, honing his skills and developing his unique playing style. He was a natural on the pitch, possessing exceptional dribbling skills, lightning-fast footwork, and a keen eye for goal. His style of play was mesmerising and Bahadur had a way of captivating audiences with his flashy moves and incredible speed on the wings. It was no wonder that his talent would not go unnoticed for long, as he quickly rose through the ranks to become one of the best players in the country and a national icon.

Bahadur's career was full of impressive achievements and remarkable performances but it all started in 1952 when he first made his mark on the national stage, playing for the Shan state team. Dazzling spectators with his skills as a forward, it was due to his exploits on the field that Shan won the state-level championship that year. He was soon recruited to play for the Myanmar national team, where he played both as a right winger and a forward and helped his country to their first success in football when they won the bronze medal in the 1954 Asian Games.

Bahadur's journey as a footballer was not easy, and he faced many challenges along the way. But overcoming these obstacles strengthened his mentality. It also helped him become the leader of the pack, and he was soon appointed as the captain of the national football team.

As a captain, Suk Bahadur was known for his discipline, dedication, and passion for the game. He was a strict taskmaster who demanded the best from his teammates and led by example. Under Bahadur's captaincy, the Burmese football team achieved numerous accolades. The list of championships that they won under his leadership is impressive, to say the least.

Myanmar won the Asian Games Gold medal twice, in 1966 and 1970 and were the runners-up in the AFC Asian Cup in 1968. They won the Southeast Asian Games thrice, in 1965, 1967, and 1969 and triumphed in the Merdeka Cup twice, in 1964 and 1967, apart from emerging runners-up in the King's Cup in 1968.

Bahadur's impact on Burmese football was immense, and his legacy continues to inspire young footballers even today. However, his contribution to the country was not only limited to sports.

Bahadur also served as the major for the 4th Infantry Battalion (4th Gurkha) of the Myanmar Army.

Bahadur was equally successful in domestic football, playing for the Army team. He was a key player in the success of the team that comprised several national teammates of Bahadur such as Hla Maung, Ba Kyu, and Maung Thaung.

Suk Bahadur played over 150 matches for Myanmar from 1952 to 1970 and scored more than 80 goals.

Bahadur was married to Khin Than Myint.^[1]

He died on 19 August 2001 at the age of 68.

This list isincomplete; you can help byadding missing items.(April 2025)

Scores and results list Burma's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bahadur goal.

List of international goals scored by Suk Bahadur

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	17 December 1955	Dacca Stadium,Dhaka, East Pakistan	Pakistan		2–4	1955 Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament	[7]
2	20 December 1955	Dacca Stadium,Dhaka, East Pakistan	India		2–5	1955 Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament	[7]
3	23 December 1955	Dacca Stadium, Dhaka, East Pakistan	Ceylon		1–3	1955 Asian Quadrangular Football Tournament	[7]
4							[7]
5	7 September 1957	Kuala Lumpur, Malaya	Singapore		2–3	1957 Merdeka Tournament	[8]
6							[8]
7	18 January 1961	Dhaka, East Pakistan	Pakistan		3–1	Friendly	[9]
8
9	28 August 1964	Kuala Lumpur, Malaya	Malaysia		3–0	1964 Merdeka Tournament	[10]
10	12 November 1967	Bogyoke Aung San Stadium,Rangoon, Burma	India		2–0	1968 AFC Asian Cup qualification	[11]
11	19 November 1967	Bogyoke Aung San Stadium, Rangoon, Burma	Pakistan		2–0	1968 AFC Asian Cup qualification	[12]
12	18 May 1968	Amjadieh Stadium,Tehran, Iran	Hong Kong		2–0	1968 AFC Asian Cup
13	10 August 1968	Kuala Lumpur, Malaya	South Vietnam		3–0	1968 Merdeka Tournament	[13]
14	17 August 1968	Kuala Lumpur, Malaya	Malaysia		1–1	1968 Merdeka Tournament	[14]
15	18 August 1968	Kuala Lumpur, Malaya	India		1–3	1968 Merdeka Tournament	[15]
16	20 November 1968	Bangkok, Thailand	Laos		3–0	1968 King's Cup	[16]

The following is a list of championships achieved during his captaincy.^[1][2]

Burma

• Asian Games Gold medal:1966,1970; Bronze medal:1954
• AFC Asian Cup runner-up:1968
• SEA Games:1965,1967,1969
• Merdeka Cup: 1964, 1967
• King's Cup runner-up:1968

Individual

• Asian All Stars: 1965,^[17] 1966,^[18] 1967,^[19] 1968^[20]

• 1935 births
• 2001 deaths
• Burmese men sprinters
• Burmese men's footballers
• Myanmar men's international footballers
• Footballers at the 1954 Asian Games
• Footballers at the 1966 Asian Games
• Footballers at the 1970 Asian Games
• Asian Games gold medalists for Myanmar
• Asian Games footballers for Myanmar
• Asian Games bronze medalists for Myanmar
• 1968 AFC Asian Cup players
• Burmese people of Nepalese descent
• People from Mandalay Region
• Men's association football forwards
• Men's association football wingers
• Burmese Hindus
• SEA Games medalists in football
• SEA Games gold medalists for Myanmar
• Medalists at the 1954 Asian Games
• Medalists at the 1966 Asian Games
• Medalists at the 1970 Asian Games
• Competitors at the 1967 SEAP Games
• Asian Games gold medalists in football
• Asian Games bronze medalists in football

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• Articles containing Burmese-language text
• Articles using Template:Medal with Runner-up
• Incomplete lists from April 2025
• Pages using national squad without sport or team link