PETALING JAYA: Defender Feroz Baharudin (pic) is pleased to return to the national football squad after an injury layoff, but acknowledges he has his work cut out to rebuild his confidence on the pitch.
The 25-year-old is part of the Harimau Malaya team currently training in Bangkok ahead of their final AFC Asian Cup 2027 third-round Group F qualifier against Vietnam in Nam Dinh on Tuesday.
The last time Feroz earned an international cap came in late 2024 during a friendly against Laos, before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury early 2025.
The Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) player returned to the pitch in January, playing nine matches so far, and earned himself a call-up for the national team.
“It’s a meaningful call-up for me after not playing for almost a year,” said Feroz.
“To me, this is the perfect opportunity to prove what I can deliver. I want to do the best I can for the country.”
Feroz said the ordeal of recovering from a serious injury was no easy feat, but he needs to boost his confidence before he steps onto the pitch.
“My recovery experience was not easy. It was tough for me to get back to where I am now and perform the way I can.
“Thankfully, I feel that my performance is back to how it was.
“But I need to rebuild my confidence to allow myself to show more of what I can do,” he said.
Although Malaysia are already out of the Asian Cup contention, Feroz said their performance on the field is a matter of pride, and he intends to make the country proud.
“This is about pride for us. We have to pay close attention and do the best we can against Vietnam,” he said.
