Mohammed Azhar's journey to the middle of the Indian Super League began far from its floodlights, in Lakshadweep, where he was born, and in Kochi, where he was raised. He came through the Kerala Blasters academy, saw injuries stall his progress, and spent time wondering if he belonged at the top level at all. Today he is the central midfielder of SC Delhi, trusted by his coach to run the game from the centre of the pitch, and he is dreaming of an India cap and a career in Europe.
From Lakshadweep to Kochi
Azhar was born in Lakshadweep and grew up in Kochi, where football is a daily language. He joined the Kerala Blasters academy, the pathway that has produced several of the state's recent professionals, and learned the game in a system that values technique and composure on the ball. The academy years gave him his base: a midfielder who wants the ball, who can pass through pressure, and who reads the game early. But the step from academy football to senior football is where many young players stall, and Azhar's path was no smoother than most.
Injuries and the margins
Injuries interrupted Azhar's progress at Kerala Blasters and left him on the margins, fighting for minutes and for belief. It is a familiar story in Indian football, where a young player can lose a year to fitness and find the team has moved on. Azhar has spoken about the doubt that creeps in during those spells, and about the work needed to come back fitter and sharper. He kept going, and the chance to rebuild his career came with a move that put him back in the frame.
Poland and a fresh start
A turning point came in November 2022, when Azhar spent three weeks training in Poland at Rakow Czestochowa, alongside his brother Aimen. The stint exposed him to a different tempo and a different standard of professional preparation, and it gave him a clearer picture of what top level football demands. He returned with a sharper sense of his own game and of the gap he still had to close. That experience now shapes the way he trains and plays, and it is part of why his coach trusts him in the middle of the pitch.
The middle of the ISL and what comes next
At SC Delhi, Azhar plays as the central midfielder under coach Tomasz Tchorz, who has compared his style to the great holding midfielders of the modern game, naming Busquets, Pedri and Mascherano as reference points. The comparison is about role, not reputation: a player who sits deep, takes the ball under pressure, and sets the rhythm for the team. Azhar has made that role his own, and his next targets are clear. He wants an India cap, and he wants a career in Europe, the two ambitions that now drive his seasons.
