Malaysian expert: FIFA ASEAN Cup, a golden opportunity to narrow the gap with Thailand and Vietnam

(NLDO) - Before the news about the FIFA ASEAN Cup, Malaysian football experts said that this is a golden opportunity to narrow the gap with Vietnam and Thailand.

The new tournament called FIFA ASEAN Cup is considered a historic turning point, promising to bring Southeast Asian football into the mainstream of FIFA and end the situation of clubs refusing to release players to the national team.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently announced plans to hold the FIFA ASEAN Cup with the participation of 11 Southeast Asian countries. This tournament is inspired by the success of the FIFA Arab Cup, aiming to help football in the region compete in the official FIFA competition system, thereby ensuring that top players are present.

Malaysian football expert Zulakbal Abdul Karim said: "If the tournament is recognized by FIFA, the best players will be called up, helping to raise the level of expertise and competitiveness of the region."

FIFA President has revealed about the FIFA ASEAN Cup tournament that has excited the Southeast Asian region.

Malaysian football experts believe that currently only Thailand and Vietnam have maintained their form and played at the highest level in the ASEAN Cup, while Malaysia and many other teams still have a gap. "With the support of FIFA, this tournament can narrow the gap for countries in the region," he added.

Historically, Thai football is leading with 7 AFF Cup championships, Singapore has 4 and Vietnam 2, while Malaysia has only won once in 2010.

Malaysian football expert Zulakbal Abdul Karim

Since 1996, the ASEAN Cup (the predecessor of the AFF Cup) has been the biggest tournament in the region, but because it is not on the FIFA calendar, many European and Asian clubs have refused to release players, affecting the quality of the tournament. With the FIFA ASEAN Cup, this problem will be completely resolved.

Zulakbal believes this is an opportunity for Malaysia to regain its position: "Malaysia has returned to the Asian Cup in 2023 after 43 years of waiting. To maintain that momentum, we must first dominate the Asean Cup like Thailand did.

If our best players join, it could mark the beginning of a new chapter for Malaysian football."

Source: https://nld.com.vn/chuyen-gia-malaysia-fifa-asean-cup-co-hoi-vang-thu-hep-khoang-cach-voi-thai-lan-va-viet-nam-196251028110552804.htm