2021-08-03
Empat legenda negara diisytihar sebagai ahli terbaharu Kelab Abad FIFA, termasuk Dato’ Soh Chin Ann yang disahkan sebagai pemilik caps antarabangsa terbanyak dengan mengumpul 195 caps sepanjang 15 tahun menyarung jersi Malaysia.
Pengesahan ini disampaikan oleh FIFA, hari ini menerusi kemas kini terbaharu terhadap keanggotaan Kelab Abad FIFA atau FIFA Century Club yang dikhaskan untuk pemain yang mencatat 100 penampilan antarabangsa ke atas.
Selain Chin Ann, Zainal Abidin Hassan, mendiang Dato’ M. Chandran dan Dato’ Santokh Singh adalah anggota terbaharu dari Malaysia yang menyertai senarai berprestij itu berasaskan statistik rasmi FIFA dengan kerjasama RSSSF.
Terdahulu tiga legenda - Dato' Abdul Shukor Salleh (163 caps), Allahyarham Dato' Mokhtar Dahari (138 caps) dan mendiang Datuk R. Arumugam (131 caps) – diberi pengiktirafan menganggotai Kelab Abad FIFA.
Walaupun penampilan keseluruhan Chin Ann dicatat oleh FAM sebagai 252 caps, FIFA mengiktiraf 195 perlawanan Kategori A yang membabitkan anak jati Melaka itu.
Chin Ann, 71, yang diberi lilitan kapten negara dari 1975 hingga persaraannya pada 1984, berasa bangga dengan pengiktirafan itu. Sebelum ini, FAM menganugerahkan Chin Ann dengan jam tangan dan wang tunai sebagai tanda meraikan 100 caps pada 1976 dan hadiah yang sama ketika mencatat 200 caps pada 1980.
“Terima kasih FIFA dan FAM atas pengiktirafan ini. Saya berasa cukup terharu atas pengesahan rekod ini.
“Walaupun FAM pernah mencatat jumlah penampilan saya sebanyak 252 caps, saya percaya ia termasuk semua perlawanan persahabatan menentang kelab luar serta saingan luar pertandingan anjuran FIFA.
“Menjadi pemain dengan jumlah penampilan paling banyak dunia adalah penghargaan tertinggi buat saya.”
Chin Ann mula mewakili negara di Piala Raja Thai 1969 dan menamatkan kerjaya pada pusingan kelayakan Piala Asia 1984 di Kolkata, India.
Chin Ann berkhidmat di bawah beberapa jurulatih, termasuk Peter Velappan, Dave Maclaren, Jalil Che Din, Abdul Ghani Minhat, M. Chandran, M. Kuppan, Chow Kwai Lam, Mohamad Bakar, Mohamed Che Su, Karl Weigang dan Frank Lord, dengan rekod mewakili negara di Sukan Olimpik 1972, mengutip pingat gangsa Sukan Asia 1974 serta penampilan di pusingan akhir Piala Asia 1980 di Kuwait.
Jumlah penampilan itu mengatasi rekod Ahmed Hassan dari Mesir yang mengumpul 184 caps, disusuli Bader Al Mutawa (181) dari Kuwait dan Ahmed Mubarak dari Oman (180). Satu-satunya pemain masih aktif yang berada dalam kelompok 10 pemain dengan caps terbanyak ialah Cristiano Ronaldo yang mengumpul 173 caps sehingga Mac 2021.
Zainal Abidin, 58, yang menyarung jersi negara sepanjang 17 tahun, menyifatkan pengiktirafan itu sebagai satu penghormatan.
“Bukan mudah untuk diisytiharkan sebagai anggota senarai pemain yang mengumpul 100 caps di peringkat dunia.
“Saya menganggap ia sebagai ganjaran kepada pengorbanan serta khidmat bakti saya sepanjang hampir dua dekad mewakili negara,” katanya yang mencatat 170 penampilan mengikut rekod FAM, bermula dari Pestabola Merdeka 1980 sehingga Sukan SEA 1997, termasuk empat kali penyertaan dalam pusingan kelayakan Piala Dunia 1985, 1989, 1993 dan 1997.
Chandran yang meninggal dunia pada 2019, secara rasmi tersenarai pada pra-Piala Asia 1963 dan menamatkan kerjaya dengan memungut pingat gangsa di Sukan Asia Tehran 1974 selepas mengumpul 163 caps mengikut rekod FAM.
Santokh, 69, pula secara rasmi menyarung jersi negara pada pra-Piala Dunia 1973 di Seoul dan mengumumkan persaraannya sekembali pulang dari jelajah di New Zealand bagi menghadapi pra-kelayakan Olimpik 1984.
“Saya cukup berterima kasih atas pengiktirafan ini. Walaupun rekod FAM menunjukkan saya mewakili negara sebanyak 145 kali, pengiktirafan dengan jumlah rasmi daripada FIFA adalah satu penghormatan,” katanya.
Meskipun jumlah caps Abdul Shukor dalam catatan FAM ialah 215, beliau menganggap menjadi anggota Kelab Abad FIFA dengan caps rasmi 163 sebagai pengiktirafan tertinggi.
“Ia bukan sekadar statistik. Ia bukti bahawa saya antara kelompok pemain yang menyumbang bakti kepada negara,” kata Abdul Shukor, yang bakal menyambut ulang tahun ke-73 Disember ini.
SENARAI 7 PEMAIN DENGAN CAPS TERTINGGI HARIMAU MALAYA YANG DIIKTIRAF DALAM KELAB ABAD FIFA
1. Datuk Soh Chin Ann - 195 caps
2. Dato' Abdul Shukor Salleh - 163 caps
3. Allahyarham Dato' Mokhtar Dahari - 138 caps
4. Mendiang Datuk R. Arumugam - 131 caps
5. Zainal Abidin Hassan - 116 caps
6. Mendiang Dato’ M. Chandran - 115 caps
7. Dato’ Santokh Singh - 100 caps
SEVEN LEGENDS ARE NOW MEMBERS OF THE ELITE FIFA CENTURY CLUB
2021-08-03
Four national footballing legends have been inducted into the elite FIFA Century Club, including long-serving skipper Dato’ Soh Chin Ann who is now the most capped international ever with 195 caps to his name in a career spanning over 15 years.
In the August updates released by FIFA today, Chin Ann, Zainal Abidin Hassan, the late Dato’ M. Chandran and Dato’ Santokh Singh are the latest additions from Malaysia to join the FIFA Century Club, a prestigious list based on official FIFA statistics in collaboration with RSSSF. The FIFA Century Club is exclusive for players who have played 100 international matches and above.
Earlier, three legends - Dato 'Abdul Shukor Salleh (163 caps), the late Dato' Mokhtar Dahari (138 caps) and the late Datuk R. Arumugam (131 caps) - were inducted into FIFA Century Club based on the May 2021 updates.
Although Chin Ann's overall appearance was recorded by FAM as 252 caps, FIFA has recognised 195 of the encounters as A category matches. In the past, FAM had rewarded Chin Ann with a wrist watch and cash to commemorate his 100th cap in 1976 and again for his 200th cap in 1980.
Chin Ann, 71, who served as the national captain from 1975 until his retirement in 1984, was elated with the news.
“Thank you FIFA and FAM for this recognition. It gives me immense pleasure to be given this recognition. Although FAM records show that I’ve played for the country on 252 occasions, I believe it includes all friendly matches against foreign clubs as well as competitions held outside FIFA auspices.
“To be recognised as the most capped international ever is the highest accolade one can have,” he said.
Chin Ann made his international debut at the Thailand’s King Cup tournament in 1969, before bowing out after the 1984 Asian Cup qualifiers in Kolkata, India.
Chin Ann served under several coaches, including Peter Velappan, Dave MacLaren, Jalil Che Din, Abdul Ghani Minhat, M. Chandran, M. Kuppan, Chow Kwai Lam, Mohamad Bakar, Mohamed Che Su, Karl Weigang and Frank Lord, with the distinction of having featured in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, winning a bronze medal at the 1974 Asian Games and playing in the 1980 AFC Asian Cup finals in Kuwait.
His number of appearances surpassed Ahmed Hassan of Egypt who accumulated 184 caps, followed by Bader Al Mutawa (181) of Kuwait and Ahmed Mubarak of Oman (180). The only active player in the top 10 is Cristiano Ronaldo who has amassed 173 caps until March 2021.
Zainal Abidin, 58, who donned the national jersey for 17 years, described the recognition as an honour.
“Being recognised as a member of the elite century cappers at world level is indeed a privilege.
“I consider it as a reward for my sacrifice in representing the country for almost two decades," said Zainal who according to FAM records made 170 appearances – beginning with his debut in the 1980 Merdeka Tournament right up to the 1997 SEA Games, including playing in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in 1985, 1989, 1993 and 1997.
Chandran, who passed away in 2019, made his debut in the 1963 AFC Asian Cup preliminaries and ended his career with a bronze at the 1974 Tehran Asian Games after collecting 163 caps, according to FAM records.
Santokh, 69, officially made his senior debut at 1973 FIFA World Cup preliminaries in Seoul and announced his retirement after returning from the New Zealand tour ahead of the 1984 Olympic qualifying round.
“I’m very grateful for this recognition. To be in the company of the world’s most capped players is rare indeed. Although FAM's record shows that I have represented the country 145 times, the official statistics remain a true honour for me,” he said.
Abdul Shukor totalled 215 caps in FAM’s books but is happy to accept the 163 official caps registered by FIFA.
“They are not mere statistics. To me they are true evidence of the sacrifice and toil I made for the country,” said Abdul Shukor, who will turn 73 in December.
SEVEN MOST CAPPED MALAYSIAN PLAYERS IN THE FIFA CENTURY CLUB
1. Dato’ Soh Chin Ann - 195 caps
2. Dato' Abdul Shukor Salleh - 163 caps
3. The late Dato’ Mokhtar Dahari - 138 caps
4. The late Datuk R. Arumugam - 131 caps
5. Zainal Abidin Hassan - 116 caps
6. The late Dato’ M. Chandran - 115 caps
7. Dato’ Santokh Singh - 100 caps