PETALING JAYA: Footballer Muhammad Abu Khalil (pic) is the latest Malaysian to move to the Land of the Rising Sun.
The young midfielder will join Japanese League Three (J3) club FC Osaka on-loan from Selangor after completing a successful trial with them last week.
The 19-year-old went to Japan and went through the selection trial with them from June 24 to July 2.
Muhammad, who plays for the National Under-19 team and even played in the recent AFC Under-23 Asian Cup in Qatar, is delighted to ply his trade in Japan until Nov 24.
“Who had thought I would be plying my trade overseas now? I see this as an opportunity to further improve my career and learn a new culture and system,” he said.“Even during the trials, I learnt a lot but the thing that gets me going is the fact that they believe that I can enhance their team for the rest of the season.
“I will surely do my best in Osaka. I want to make my loved ones back home proud and also fans of Selangor and Malaysia. I hope my stint here will open opportunities for other Malaysians to play overseas.”
FC Osaka are currently third in the league with 31 points.
Muhammad will not be alone in the J3, as his national Under-23 teammate Luqman Hakim Shamsuddin also plays in the league with YSCC Yokohama, who are 16th in the league with 20 points.
Previously, lanky striker Hadi Fayyadh Abdul Razak played in Japan for clubs like Fagiano Okayama (2019-2021) and Azul Claro Numazu (2021-2022), before returning to Malaysia last year to play for Perak in the Super League.
The likes of leftback Nazirul Naim Che Hashim and winger Wan Zack Wan Haikal, used to play for FC Ryukyu from 2013 to 2014.
Then there was midfielder Tam Sheang Tsung, a Malaysian born in Tokyo, who played for the likes of Kataller Toyoma (2015) and Gainare Tottori (2016) in the past.
