This is a list of Malaysia international footballers born outside their country, including naturalised and overseas players with Malaysian ancestry.[1]
Naturalised players
In January 1984, Razali Alias of Singapore became the first naturalised player in Malaysia. He made his debut for the Malaysia national team in a friendly match against the United Arab Emirates in March 1985. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) tried to register him for the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification, however, FIFA prevented him from participating as he was already capped for Singapore.[2] The second naturalised player in Malaysia was Ahmad Paijan of Singapore who received his Malaysian citizenship in late 1995 after 13 years of playing for Terengganu.[3]
In late 2018, there have been more necessities to naturalising foreign players to improve Malaysian football performances. Based on three survey polls conducted by the country three local press, two of them recording a majority positive vote over the necessities to acquire foreign players as a local players.[4] As a result, the FAM began submitting a plan to the federal government.[5] The plan was welcomed by the country prime minister with the latter also urging local talents to improve in par with the absorption of foreign talents.[6][7]
List of players
Name | Country of birth | Citizenship acquisition | Debut for Malaysia |
---|---|---|---|
Razali Alias[a] | ![]() |
18 January 1984[8] | 1985[2] |
Syed Adney | ![]() |
1986 | 2007[9] |
Matthew Davies | ![]() |
2015[10][11] | 8 September 2015[12][13][14] |
Brendan Gan | ![]() |
2014[15][16] | 24 March 2016[17] |
Darren Lok | ![]() |
2016[18] | 7 October 2016[19][20][21] |
Kiko Insa | ![]() |
2017[22][23] | 22 August 2017[24][25] |
Natxo Insa | ![]() |
2017[22][26] | 22 March 2018[27][28] |
Mohamadou Sumareh | ![]() |
27 July 2018[29] | 12 October 2018[30][31] |
La'Vere Corbin-Ong[b] | ![]() |
2018[32] | 2 June 2019[33][34] |
Dominic Tan | ![]() |
1997 | 2 June 2019[35] |
Liridon Krasniqi[c] | ![]() |
February 2020[36] | 28 May 2021[37][38] |
Guilherme de Paula | ![]() |
March 2021 | 3 June 2021[38][39] |
Quentin Cheng | ![]() |
2019 | 6 October 2021[40] |
Ezequiel Agüero | ![]() |
February 2022[41] | 9 December 2022[42] |
Lee Tuck | ![]() |
February 2022[41] | 9 December 2022[43] |
David Rowley | ![]() |
2018 | 9 December 2022[44] |
Stuart Wilkin | ![]() |
2021 | 9 December 2022[45] |
Endrick | ![]() |
February 2023[46] | 23 March 2023[47] |
Paulo Josué | ![]() |
February 2023[48] | 23 March 2023[47] |
Nooa Laine | ![]() |
2022[49] | 23 March 2023[50] |
Daniel Ting | ![]() |
2016 | 28 March 2023[51] |
Romel Morales | ![]() |
2023[52] | 15 January 2024[53] |
Notes
References
- ^ Azharie, Farah (30 June 2020). "FAM searching for 'heritage' players abroad". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Razali tak boleh wakili Malaysia". Berita Harian (in Malay). 6 March 1985. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ "Young and daring". New Straits Times. 9 March 1996. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ Rosdi, Aziman (28 July 2018). "Majority of Malaysians want naturalised players". New Straits Times. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "Malaysia planning to offer citizenship to foreign players". FOX Sports Asia. 19 March 2019. Archived from the original on 20 March 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Maria Chin, Emmanuel Santa (30 July 2018). "PM open to foreign-born players in national football team". The Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Yusof, Teh Athira (30 July 2018). "PM: Hire naturalised football players but don't sideline local talents". New Straits Times. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "RAZALI IS NOW M'SIAN". Singapore Monitor - 2nd Edition. 20 January 1984. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Syed Adney Syed Hussein (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ Zainal, Zulhilmi (8 April 2015). "Transfer News: Pahang sign Perth Glory youngster". Goal.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Dasey, Jason (12 February 2016). "Matthew Davies happy with transferring football allegiance from Australia to Malaysia". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Matthew Davies (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Samuel, Eric (9 April 2015). "Davies earns call up for SEA Games squad". The Star. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Rosdi, Aziman (18 January 2018). "Davies: Decision to play for Malaysia has paid off". New Straits Times. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Zainal, Zulhilmi (23 November 2013). "Transfer News: Kelantan want Brendan Gan as local player". Goal.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "Brendan Gan sah milik Kelantan" [Brendan Gan is legally owned by Kelantan]. Perak Today (in Malay). 7 March 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Brendan Gan (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Singh, Ajitpal (22 September 2016). "(Football) Darren Lok gets Msian citizenship, now free to play for Johor". New Straits Times. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Darren Lok Yee Deng (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Rajan, K. (24 May 2016). "Former English club player Darren gets national call up". The Star. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "Malaysia's Kim Swee defends Darren Lok selection ahead of Suzuki Cup". ESPN (UK). 28 September 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ a b Singh, Ajitpal (8 June 2017). "Insa boost for Darul Ta'zim". New Straits Times. Retrieved 3 April 2019 – via PressReader.
- ^ Harimau Abroad [@harimau_abroad] (22 January 2017). "So it's confirmed. Pahang's Kiko Insa has been given Malaysian citizenship" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 April 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Kiko Insa (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Zainal, Zulhilmi (4 August 2017). "Kiko Insa called up to Malaysia training camp". Goal.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Rajan, K. (20 March 2018). "Naturalised Natxo ready to work his magic on national team". The Star. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Natxo Insa (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Kin Fai, Ooi (13 March 2018). "Tan Cheng Hoe names Natxo Insa in Malaysia call-up". Goal.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Modou Cham, Pa (27 July 2018). "Muhammedou Sumareh acquires Malaysian citizenship". The Point. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Mohamadou Sumareh (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Zainal, Zulhilmi (2 October 2018). "Sumareh finally gets Malaysia call-up". Goal.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Singh, Devinder (17 February 2018). "Naturalised players a good fit for Malaysia". New Straits Times. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
With La'Vere Corbin-Ong becoming the latest foreign-born player to take up Malaysian citizenship, national coach Tan Cheng Hoe's options have expanded significantly to the extent that he could field a side consisting mostly, if not entirely, of naturalised players.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "La'Vere Corbin-Ong (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Kin Fai, Ooi (31 May 2019). "Better Corbin ready to make Malaysia debut". Goal.com. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
- ^ "Dominic Tan (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
- ^ "Siaran Media: Liridon Krasniqi Sah Warganegara Malaysia" [Press release: Liridon Krasniqi is a Malaysian citizen]. Football Association of Malaysia (in Malay). 3 February 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Liridon Krasniqi (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ a b "Siaran Media: Senarai 25 Pemain Ke Kem Latihan Pusat Skuad Harimau Malaya Bermula 16 Mei 2021". Football Association of Malaysia (in Malay). 10 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Guilherme de Paula (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Quentin Cheng (Player)". national-football-teams.com.
- ^ a b "M'sians disappointed after import football players given citizenship and MyKad". Malaysia Trend. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Ezequiel Agüero (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Lee Tuck (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "David Rowley (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Stuart Wilkin (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ "JDT set modest target for new M-League season". New Straits Times. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Harimau Malaya edge Turkmenistan in friendly". New Straits Times. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ^ "Josue granted Malaysian citizenship, scores a brace for KL City". New Straits Times. 25 February 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ^ "Malaysian-Finnish professional Laine set for Under-23 Asian Cup". New Straits Times. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Nooa Laine (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ^ "Malaysia down Hong Kong 2–0 in friendly". The Star. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ "Man from Colombia becomes a Harimau". New Straits Times. 27 December 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Romel Morales (Player)". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 27 January 2024.