Malaysia should use naturalized players for next 5 years: football legend

Jamal Nasir, 70, believes that Malaysia's national team are lacking good native players. He assessed that only Johor Darul Ta’zim midfielder Arif Aiman Hanapi currently meets international standards.

"Competing with nations like Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, who also use naturalized players, means we cannot afford to fall behind," Nasir, who earned 88 caps for Malaysia from 1975 to 1984 and is currently a football pundit, told the New Straits Times.

"We should continue this approach (use naturalized players) for the next five years, but during this period, youth development must take center stage to ensure that local players can eventually step up."

Nasir emphasized that the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) must simultaneously invest in youth development programs to ensure long-term sustainability. He highlighted the importance of the National Football Development Programme (NFDP) and the need for consistent and competitive matches for youth players at the U15, U16 and U17 levels.

"Our infrastructure is good, but we need funds from the government and private sector to continue the progress," he added. "Funding allows us to bring in heritage and naturalized players and develop local talent simultaneously. Both aspects must go hand-in-hand."

He also encouraged FAM to focus on international youth tournaments, with the U17 World Cup expanding Asia's slots to eight in 2025. Nasir sees these tournaments as a foundation for building a stronger national team.

Malaysia new national team head coach Peter Cklamovski also shared the Nasir's perspective, stating there are no limits on the number of naturalized players eligible to join the squad.

"The selected players are those who are good enough and have proven their worth in the national team," Cklamovski told the press on Jan. 23.

Cklamovski, 46, has a strong pedigree, including stints as an assistant coach for Australia under the current Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou and as head coach of FC Tokyo in the J1 League.

The new national head coach Peter Cklamovski arrives in Malaysia on Jan. 23, 2025. Photo by FAM

Malaysia already has several naturalized players, including Endrick (Brazil), Ezequiel Aguero (Argentina), Romel Morales (Colombia), Mohamadou Sumareh (Gambia), Paulo Josue (Brazil), and Fergus Tierney (Scotland).

Johor state regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who is also the president of Johor Darul Ta’zim, has identified six to seven half-Malaysian players in Europe who could be naturalized.

Tunku Ismail has also proposed naturalization for midfielder Giancarlo Gallifuoco (Australia), striker Bergson da Silva (Brazil) and Manuel Hidalgo (Argentina) as a short-term power boost for the national team.

Gallifuoco, 31, previously played in the Tottenham Hotspur youth system and has been in Malaysia since 2021, representing Kuala Lumpur City FC.

Bergson da Silva, 33, has been prolific for Johor Darul Ta’zim, scoring 126 goals in 120 matches since 2021.

Hidalgo, 25, currently plays for Sri Pahang and has been in Malaysia since 2021.

At the administrative level, Malaysian football is also undergoing significant changes. Datuk Joehari Ayub has been elected FAM president for the 2025-2029 term, succeeding Tan Sri Hamidin Amin. Previously, former Canada national player Rob Friend was appointed as FAM’s CEO.

Malaysia’s immediate focus is on qualifying for the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup. The national team will kick off their campaign with an away match against Nepal on March 25. Other group opponents include Vietnam and Laos. Malaysia’s key challenge will be overcoming Vietnam, with matches scheduled for June 10, 2025 in Malaysia and March 31, 2026, in Vietnam.