Striker Hadi Fayyadh Abdul Razak receives maiden national team call-up for 2026 ASEAN Cup centralised training camp.
STRIKER Hadi Fayyadh Abdul Razak was almost moved to tears after receiving his maiden call-up to the Harimau Malaya squad for the centralised training camp ahead of the 2026 ASEAN Cup.
Hadi Fayyadh, who plays for Japanese club Vencedor Mie United Club, described the call-up as the greatest recognition of his career after waiting so long for the opportunity.
He said the trust placed in him by national interim head coach Tan Cheng Hoe was especially meaningful after enduring a difficult journey as a professional footballer, including unpaid salary issues during his time with former club PDRM FC and an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2021.
“I want to thank coach Tan Cheng Hoe for believing in me, and I want to repay his trust.
“This is one of the proudest moments of my career because it has always been my dream to play for the national team, let alone receive my first call-up. If given the chance, I want to give my very best,” he told reporters after a training session here today.
Commenting on the battle for a place in the starting line-up, Hadi Fayyadh said he was ready to provide healthy competition throughout the training camp, adding that the opportunity to join the national squad had further motivated him to prove his ability.
The former national Under-23 player, who represented Malaysia at the 2021 SEA Games in Vietnam, said leaving Malaysia and being away from his family to pursue his career in Japan was not an easy decision, but one he had to make to keep his dream of becoming a professional footballer alive.
As for his personal target at the 2026 ASEAN Cup, Hadi Fayyadh said he intends to give his full commitment in every match to help Malaysia progress as far as possible in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Johor Darul Ta’zim II defender Ahmad Aysar Hadi Shapri said he is unfazed despite earning his first national team call-up after being named as the replacement for experienced defender Dominic Tan.
Ahmad Aysar said he was proud of the opportunity and ready for the challenge after previously being placed on the standby list.
For the 2026 ASEAN Cup, which runs from July 24 to Aug 26, Malaysia have been drawn in Group B alongside Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and the Philippines.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals of the 2026 ASEAN Cup.
