KUALA LUMPUR – National footballer Luqman Hakim Shamsudin has made it clear that he wants to end his Harimau Muda career on a high note by leading them to this year’s Paris Olympics.
The 22-year-old striker, with nine senior appearances to his name, is currently in Doha, Qatar, as part of the national under-23 team for the Asian Cup.
The sixth edition of the tournament is scheduled to take place from April 15 to May 3.
Speaking to Scoop from Doha, Luqman said he was not in Qatar for a vacation – instead, he was resolute in pursuing his lifelong dream of competing at the world’s biggest multisport event.
“This could be my final chance to play for Harimau Muda, and personally, I have a goal to play in the Olympics. It may sound ambitious, but I firmly believe we can achieve anything in life through hard work, and I have been demonstrating that for years through my performances.
“I’m someone who loves to compete at the highest level, and playing in prestigious tournaments like the Olympics has been one of my biggest life goals. But it’s not just my life goal; the entire team shares the same wavelength in leading Malaysia to the Olympics.
“But our biggest obstacle for now is definitely the Asian Cup, as we need to excel and meet our targets in order to qualify for the Olympics. Hence, we need to give our 100% in this tournament first if we want to make history for our country.
“I have full confidence in my teammates, and I also trust the coaches and all the staff. We can assure that we will fight until the end for our country, fans and families by leading Malaysia to Paris this year,” said Luqman when contacted.
The Football Association of Malaysia has set a quarter-final target for Juan Torres Garrido’s squad but also hopes they could reach the semi-finals, potentially earning them a spot in Paris.
Garrido will be without key players Azam Azmi Murad, V. Ruventhiran, Rahadiazli Rahalim and Richard Chin during the under-23 Asian Cup due to injuries.
In Doha, Malaysia will face Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Kuwait in Group D.
The top three teams in Doha will earn automatic Olympic berths, while the fourth-placed team will be involved in an intercontinental play-off.
The last time Malaysia’s national football squad made it to the Olympics was in the 1980 Moscow Games.
However, the country chose to boycott the Games after the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. – April 12, 2024