SYAHIR Iqbal Khan Akbar Khan is living up to his billing as a rising star in the Malaysian futsal scene.
The 19-year-old winger, who shone for Selangor MAC in the Malaysian Premier Futsal League (MPFL) last year, is working his magic for the junior state side in the Malaysia Games (Sukma).
Thanks to his dazzling skills and trickery, Syahir, who is also the Selangor captain, has inspired his side to reach the final of the futsal competition where they face hosts Sarawak at the Samarahan Indoor Stadium today.
He said the solid bonding among the players is the key factor for their progress into the final.
“In this kind of competition, we have to be really united to go far. There is solid bonding among us and that has made a big difference,” said Syahir.
Syahir said facing Sarawak, along with their fervent home crowd, in the final will be a huge challenge but he believes they can turn that into an advantage.
“The final is set to be a feisty affair and we can expect an aggressive match. The home crowd will also make it tough for us, so we must be mentally strong to counter that and get a win.’’
Syahir has been playing futsal since he was 12, and made his professional debut at 17 when he played for Kelantan in the MPFL 2 before joining Selangor last year.
He has also featured for the national team under coach Rakphol Sainetngam.
A Sukma gold would further boost his profile as one of the most exciting young players in the game.
“Winning a gold will be great for my career.
“In the future, I hope to play in the Thai or Indonesian League.
“Now that I’m in the MPFL, I want to be the most valuable player in the league.”
