KUALA LUMPUR: The process of securing a Malaysian passport for a mixed-heritage football player from Holland is currently in its final stages.
Chief executive officer of Harimau Malaya, Rob Friend, said in a statement yesterday that they hope the process will be completed before the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers kicks off this March.
“Having a wider selection pool with these mixed-heritage players will significantly boost our aspirations of taking Harimau Malaya to the next level,” he said.
Meanwhile, Friend said the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) were equally committed to investing in the development of domestic players at all levels of football nationwide.
He said while naturalisation is among the key components of our strategy, they also understand the importance of nurturing homegrown talent to ensure sustainable success for the national team.
“Our goal is to create a balanced and competitive squad who represent the pride and passion of Malaysian football,” he said.
Earlier, the Regent of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim announced that six to seven heritage players had been identified to represent Malaysia.
The national team, under the guidance of new head coach Peter Cklamovski, will kick off their 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign with their first Group F match against Nepal on March 25. — Bernama
