Serious ankle injury that sidelined Malaysian women’s national football team member and futsal player Intan Serah for an extended period has unexpectedly paved the way for her return to acting through Astro Ria’s upcoming drama series Premier League: I Love You.
The series marks Intan’s first television drama since her last appearance on the silver screen in the 2018 film Gol & Gincu 2.
Intan, 26, whose full name is Intan Sarah Anisah Zulgafli, has also appeared in Astro Ria’s sports travelogue reality series From KL To PL for two seasons.
The series followed Malaysian celebrities and personalities on a journey from Kuala Lumpur to England to explore iconic English Premier League stadiums.
“With no (football) commitments, I finally had the time. So when Astro asked if I was available for this project (Premier League: I Love You), I immediately said yes.
“I’m really excited because this is my first television drama,” she said.
The new series also stars Kamal Adli, Sean Lee, Hawa Rizwana and Theebaan G, and is scheduled to premiere next month.
On her ankle injury, Intan said it occurred while representing Malaysia at the 2025 SEA Games women’s football tournament in Thailand last December.
The injury prevented the former New York Dutch Lions FC player from joining the Malayan Tigress squad for the 2026 AFF Women’s Championship, which was held in KL recently.
“I’ll undergo surgery in August after fulfilling all my entertainment commitments, including promotional activities for the drama. After that, I’ll focus entirely on my recovery,” she said.
Asked about her future plans, Intan stressed that football remains her top priority as she continues pursuing her dream of achieving success with the national team.
“After recovering from my injury, I’ll probably focus on football because a player’s career isn’t very long.
“Most of my achievements (in football) so far have come at club level and through individual accomplishments.
“But I want to win at least one title with the Malaysian women’s national team. That’s the goal I’m chasing first,” she said.
The former Subang Jaya City Council FC player, however, is keeping the door open to opportunities in the entertainment industry and hopes to take on more challenging roles beyond football-related characters.
“I would love to try action roles or play someone crazy and very happening because that’s really my personality,” she said. – Bernama
