Seven Heritage Players Were Among Several Names Recomended To FAM - Tengku Muda Pahang
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- The Tengku Muda of Pahang, Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah, declared that he had recommended several names of heritage players to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), including the seven players currently under investigation by the International Football Federation (FIFA).
His Highness stated that the suggestion was made with a sincere intention to help strengthen the national squad and to open up opportunities for Malaysian-blooded talents abroad to serve the country.
Tengku Abdul Rahman said that since the end of 2024, several agents had contacted him to propose players for assessment before he forwarded the information to FAM for more detailed evaluation.
“Among the players I recommended to FAM are the seven heritage players who are now involved in the case of investigation and suspension by FIFA.
“For your information, all seven of these players are legitimate Malaysian citizens after being granted citizenship by the Government of Malaysia through a valid and orderly process in accordance with the provisions of the country’s laws,” His Highness said in a statement to the media today.
Tengku Abdul Rahman said that he believes the presence of naturalised and heritage players can improve the quality of play and competitiveness of the national squad.
"I forwarded the suggestions to FAM for a more detailed evaluation to determine whether the players meet the criteria as heritage players and subsequently be considered to join the national squad,” His Highness said.
Tengku Abdul Rahman also shared the efforts undertaken with the Pahang team, which had previously been involved in the naturalisation process of players such as Mohamadou Sumareh, Sergio Aguero, and Lee Tuck, which he saw as a strategic step to strengthen the tactical capability of the national team.
Meanwhile, His Highness expressed appreciation for the vision and leadership of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, which is credited with raising the quality of the Harimau Malaya squad including the extraordinary success of Johor Darul Ta’zim FC (JDT), which is now a benchmark for professionalism and modern management in the country's football landscape.
Last month, FAM and the seven naturalised players - Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca, Joao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal and Hector Hevel - were sanctioned by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee after being found to have violated Article 22 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC) related to document falsification.
In a previous statement, FIFA informed that FAM had submitted falsified documents to confirm the players' eligibility to play in the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers against Vietnam on June 10.
Following this, FAM was fined CHF 350,000 (approximately RM1.8 million), while each player was fined CHF 2,000 (around RM10,560) and suspended for 12 months from all football-related activities, effective from the date the decision notice was issued.
-- BERNAMA
