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KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) – Malaysia’s participation in the 2025 Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup in Uzbekistan this August is seen as an opportunity to sharpen the Harimau Malaya squad’s ‘big match mentality’.
Local football expert and analyst Assoc Prof Dr Mohamad Nizam Nazarudin said the participation is not merely an invitation, but a high-level competitive arena that will comprehensively test the Harimau Malaya’s (national team’s) physical endurance and mental resilience.
The former Head of Sports Science and Performance Analyst of Sabah FC said the challenges awaiting national head coach Peter Cklamovski’s men are real and complex, with two Asian giants – Iran and Uzbekistan – having already qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
“Realistically, the performance gap between Malaysia and these opponents lies not only in the technical aspects of the game but also, more deeply, in the psychological dimension – the ability to perform fearlessly in high-profile matches.
“Statistics and previous match history show that Harimau Malaya often struggle when facing teams with the status of ‘Asian powerhouses’,” he said.
“Thus, the CAFA Nations Cup can be seen as an exclusive platform to cultivate a ‘big game mentality’ – the kind of tournament mindset that maintains focus, confidence, and tactical ability under maximum pressure,” he told Bernama.
The Senior Lecturer in Sports and Recreation at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), said the main difference between top-tier Asian football and Southeast Asian football lies in the higher tempo of play, consistent physical intensity and the ability to attack and defend with rapid transitions in repeated phases.
“Teams like Iran operate with a ‘high pressing and fast recovery’ approach, which not only tests physical endurance but also the cognitive ability of players to make decisions in very limited time and space.
“Uzbekistan, on the other hand, are known for their clear tactical structure and speed in combination play – a form of threat that cannot be neutralised without peak cardiovascular fitness and dynamic tactical literacy,” he said.
Meanwhile, another local football analyst, Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli, believes that participation in the tournament should be viewed as a golden opportunity to compete against teams that are currently on par with the national squad’s capabilities.
He said it could serve as a benchmark for the national team’s strength, especially after their 4-0 thrashing of Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign held here earlier this month.
“We need to prove that we are no longer ‘kampung champions’ and are ready to spread our wings and fly higher and farther, on par with teams like Iran and Uzbekistan, who have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, as well as Oman.
“This tournament can train Harimau Malaya players to strengthen their ‘big game mentality’ and improve their high-intensity tempo,” he said.
Last Monday, Cklamovski announced that Malaysia would participate in the 2025 CAFA Nations Cup, scheduled to take place from Aug 26 to Sept 9, describing the tournament as one that would test his team in various aspects both ‘on and off the pitch’.
In addition to Iran, ranked 18th in the world, and Uzbekistan (57) and Malaysia (131), the tournament will also feature Oman (77), Kyrgyzstan (103), Tajikistan (104), Turkmenistan (142), and Afghanistan (160).
Following the tournament, Malaysia will resume their Group F campaign in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers against Laos in Vientiane on October 9 and at home on October 14, before facing Nepal in Kathmandu on November 18 and Vietnam away in March next year.
— BERNAMA
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KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) – Malaysia’s participation in the 2025 Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup in Uzbekistan this August is seen as an opportunity to sharpen the Harimau Malaya squad’s ‘big match mentality’.
Local football expert and analyst Assoc Prof Dr Mohamad Nizam Nazarudin said the participation is not merely an invitation, but a high-level competitive arena that will comprehensively test the Harimau Malaya’s (national team’s) physical endurance and mental resilience.
The former Head of Sports Science and Performance Analyst of Sabah FC said the challenges awaiting national head coach Peter Cklamovski’s men are real and complex, with two Asian giants – Iran and Uzbekistan – having already qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
“Realistically, the performance gap between Malaysia and these opponents lies not only in the technical aspects of the game but also, more deeply, in the psychological dimension – the ability to perform fearlessly in high-profile matches.
“Statistics and previous match history show that Harimau Malaya often struggle when facing teams with the status of ‘Asian powerhouses’,” he said.
“Thus, the CAFA Nations Cup can be seen as an exclusive platform to cultivate a ‘big game mentality’ – the kind of tournament mindset that maintains focus, confidence, and tactical ability under maximum pressure,” he told Bernama.
The Senior Lecturer in Sports and Recreation at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), said the main difference between top-tier Asian football and Southeast Asian football lies in the higher tempo of play, consistent physical intensity and the ability to attack and defend with rapid transitions in repeated phases.
“Teams like Iran operate with a ‘high pressing and fast recovery’ approach, which not only tests physical endurance but also the cognitive ability of players to make decisions in very limited time and space.
“Uzbekistan, on the other hand, are known for their clear tactical structure and speed in combination play – a form of threat that cannot be neutralised without peak cardiovascular fitness and dynamic tactical literacy,” he said.
Meanwhile, another local football analyst, Datuk Dr Pekan Ramli, believes that participation in the tournament should be viewed as a golden opportunity to compete against teams that are currently on par with the national squad’s capabilities.
He said it could serve as a benchmark for the national team’s strength, especially after their 4-0 thrashing of Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign held here earlier this month.
“We need to prove that we are no longer ‘kampung champions’ and are ready to spread our wings and fly higher and farther, on par with teams like Iran and Uzbekistan, who have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, as well as Oman.
“This tournament can train Harimau Malaya players to strengthen their ‘big game mentality’ and improve their high-intensity tempo,” he said.
Last Monday, Cklamovski announced that Malaysia would participate in the 2025 CAFA Nations Cup, scheduled to take place from Aug 26 to Sept 9, describing the tournament as one that would test his team in various aspects both ‘on and off the pitch’.
In addition to Iran, ranked 18th in the world, and Uzbekistan (57) and Malaysia (131), the tournament will also feature Oman (77), Kyrgyzstan (103), Tajikistan (104), Turkmenistan (142), and Afghanistan (160).
Following the tournament, Malaysia will resume their Group F campaign in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers against Laos in Vientiane on October 9 and at home on October 14, before facing Nepal in Kathmandu on November 18 and Vietnam away in March next year.
— BERNAMA
BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies.
Follow us on social media :
Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok : @bernamaofficial
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