Deki Lhazom

Deki Lhazom is a Bhutanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for the Bhutan women's national team.^[1][2] She is the joint highest goal scorer of Bhutan's senior national team with 3 goals.

Deki Lhazom

Personal information
Date of birth	(2004-01-04) 4 January 2004 (age 21)
Place of birth	Trashigang, Bhutan
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
2017–2022	Gelephu Football Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022–2023	Al-Ittihad	8	(2)
International career‡
2022–	Bhutan	5	(3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:21, 12 February 2023 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:21, 12 February 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Lhazom began playing football at age eight. She was noticed by a district coach while playing for her school club. She was then invited to the 2017 Milo Cup before entering into the women's academy in Gelephu.^[3]

After impressing in senior international friendlies against Saudi Arabia, she was offered a contract with Al-Ittihad of the Saudi Women's Premier League. By joining the club, she became the first female Bhutanese player in history to play abroad.^[3] The Bhutan Football Federation reported that it was initially a one-year contract worth $3000 USD or about Nu. 240,000 per month.^[4]

International career

Lhazom made her international debut at the 2017 SAFF U-15 Women's Championship. She went on to appear in every SAFF youth tournament through 2022.^[3] She scored against Nepal at the 2019 edition of the tournament.^[5] The goal helped Nepal secure its only point in the competition, ultimately failing to advance to the knockout rounds.^[6]

In December 2019, Lhazom was part of the under-15 national team that competed in a pair of friendlies away to Nepal. Lhazom scored her nation's only goal in the opening 1–6 defeat.^[7]

Lhazom made her senior international debut on 6 September 2022 against Nepal in the 2022 SAFF Women's Championship. Her first two senior international goals came against Sri Lanka on 10 September 2022 in the same competition. The match ended in a 5–0 victory.^[8][9] The result set several records for the team, including largest margin of victory and first win, multi-goal victory, and shutout in the tournament.^[10]

In September 2022, she scored a goal and impressed in a set of international friendlies away to Saudi Arabia.^[11][12]

Career statistics

International

As of match played 28 September 2022

Years	Apps	Goal
2022	5	3
Total	5	3

International goals

Senior

Scores and results list Bhutan's goal tally first.

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	9 September 2022	Dasarath Rangasala, Kathmandu, Nepal	Sri Lanka	2–0	5–0	2022 SAFF Women's Championship
2.				3–0
3.	28 September 2022	Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium, Abha, Saudi Arabia	Saudi Arabia	4–1	4–2	Friendly
4.	27 July 2024	Changlimithang, Thimphu, Bhutan	Bangladesh	1–0	2–5
5.				2–0
6.	21 October 2024	Dasarath Rangasala, Kathmandu, Nepal	Sri Lanka	1–0	4–1	2024 SAFF Women's Championship
7.				3–1
8.	24 October 2024		Maldives	3–0	13–0
9.				5–0
10.				7–0
11.				9–0
12.				12–0
13.	29 October 2024		Bangladesh	1–5	1–7
Last updated 21 October 2024

Youth

Scores and results list Bhutan's goal tally first.

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	13 October 2019	Changlimithang Stadium, Thimphu, Bhutan	Nepal	1–1	1–1	2019 SAFF U-15 Women's Championship
2.	23 December 2019	ANFA Complex, Lalitpur, Nepal		1–2	1–6	Friendly
3.	8 March 2023	Petra Stadium, Amman, Jordan	Lebanon	2–5	2–6	2024 AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup qualification
4.	12 March 2023		Mongolia	1–0	4–0
5.				2–0
6.				3–0
7.				4–0
Last updated 23 March 2023

References

1. "Deki Lhazom". nepal90.com. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
2. "NATIONAL TEAMS". bhutanfootball.com.
3. Choki, Pema. "Deki Lhazom is 1st Bhutanese woman to play in a foreign league". The Bhutanese. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
4. Dawa, Chenga. "Deki Lhazom- First Bhutanese female footballer to sign for a foreign club". BBS. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
5. "SAFF U15 Championship: Nepal Plays Stalemate With Bhutan". Goal Nepal. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
6. "Bhutan holds Nepal to 1-1 draw". My Republica. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
7. "Nepal U15 Girls Team Beats Bhutan U15 Girls In First Friendly Match". Gola Nepal. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
8. "साफ च्याम्पियनसिप– ऐतिहासिक जितसँगै भुटान सेमिफाइनलमा". nepal90.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 10 September 2022.
9. Dhambarage, Chris. "Bhutan rout SL 5-0". Sri Lanka Daily News. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
10. "Bhutan defeat Sri Lanka in record win". All Nepal Football Association. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
11. Namgay, Thinley. "From the mountains to the Saudi desert". Kuensel. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
12. Soumitra, Bose. "Why Bhutan's women footballers are in fast forward mode". FIFA. Retrieved 12 February 2023.

External links

• Deki Lhazom at Global Sports Archive