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From Amardeep Gill
It was electrifying at Bukit Jalil Stadium last week. Like a phoenix rising from its own ashes, Malaysia annihilated Vietnam 4–0, the country’s biggest win over the Golden Star Warriors since 2014.
Yet, a closer look at the first 11 that took the field revealed something unfamiliar.
Four newly naturalised players – Facundo Garces, Jon Irazabal, João Figueiredo and Rodrigo Holgado – were making their debut. They were joined by Hector Hevel, naturalised earlier this year, and Nooa Laine, who received his citizenship last year.
They joined longer serving heritage players La’Vere Corbin Ong, Dion Cools and captain Matt Davies to form the bulk of a reconstructed Harimau Malaya for the Asian Cup qualification match.
The only homegrown starters on the night were goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi and winger Arif Aiman Hanapi.
Meanwhile, six other naturalised players – Imanol Machuca, Gabriel Palermo, Paulo Josué, Romel Morales, Endrick and Stuart Wilkin – took their places on the bench.
The roar in the stands
Figueiredo drew first blood after 49 minutes, and Holgado added another nine minutes later. Corbin‑Ong tapped in the third at the three-quarter mark, and veteran Cools sealed it two minutes from the end.
The crowd erupted in celebration, savouring the cool, commanding dominance of the men in yellow over their counterparts in red.
The emotional echo, however, has been more nuanced amongst the fans and on social media. One fan complained that it felt like cheating but another made light of the foreign origins of those behind the striking stats, joking that the goals on the night had been scored by “Johan, Ramasami, and Ong”.
Nine Tigers or strangers?
It felt like an abrupt decision to field nine naturalised players, like hastily planting a foreign forest. As a genuine heir to a burgeoning lineage, Hevel had been enlisted in the national fold earlier, in March, and even scored on his debut against Nepal.
However, players like Garces, Machuca, Irazabal, Figueiredo and Holgado were only approved by FIFA days prior to the match last Tuesday. Sure, the new additions appeared competent, but they were also unknown entities to Malaysian football.
Critics warn this level of remodelling risks hollowing out national identity.
“Is this still a Malaysian team,” some asked. Yet others saw a phoenix igniting: “This isn’t naturalisation for skin colour, it’s a master plan,” one supporter wrote after the game.
Beyond the pitch: a mirror to Malaysia?
Football in Malaysia is always more than a game, it’s a national pulse. This new “nine‑tiger” core speaks to a duality in our society: one side values fast‑tracked success, the other questions whether you can graft roots overnight and expect an oak.
The metaphor here is as wide as a field: Malaysia’s team is in full flight, with wings powered by fresh engines. However, do we risk forgetting our ground? Grassroots prospects like Arif Aiman deserve the nurturing that ensures the flame of local talent isn’t snuffed out by imported sparks.
Moving forward: harmony, not hijack
Naturalisation can be a bridge but should not be a bypass.
If players arrive in the country early enough to learn some Bahasa Melayu, delight in our local delicacies, spark youth ambitions, and maybe show in some way that Malaysia is their home, then they should be allowed to become part of the national tapestry, instead of just threadbare fixes.
FAM must tether this fast-burning success to deep-rooted investment in academies, school football and homegrown heroes lending their voices to the importance of youngsters not giving up on their dreams of donning the national team’s colours.
Harmony through commitment
Naturalisation, if left unchecked, can feel like patchwork, effective but hollow. But if approached with intention, with care, it can be a pathway to growth, unity, and a deeper identity.
Malaysia must no longer hand out national jerseys like boarding passes. Instead, we must raise the bar. Naturalised players should only be considered for eligibility after fulfilling a clear series of obligations.
An example would be a minimum three years of playing in the Malaysian Super League while contributing to local football infrastructure and actively engaging in community initiatives that deepen their connection to the nation.
Let them wear our colours, but let them earn them through sweat, service and a shared story.
Because when a foreign-born player fights side by side with local boys in the rain-soaked fields of Stadium Bukit Jalil, when they hear the chants and call this land home, they cannot do so as outsiders. They must be our very own Tigers.
Only then will the roar of Harimau Malaya truly echo with both pride and purpose. It cannot be a shortcut to glory, but must stand as a symbol of a footballing family that welcomes those who choose to belong.
Amardeep Gill is an FMT reader.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
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