KUALA LUMPUR — Beyond supporting the Palestinian cause, Harimau Malaya fans believe Palestine has set a strong example through its football development, despite the immense challenges it faces.
This sentiment was shared by fans ahead of the Asian World Cup 2026 qualifiers round three match between Palestine and Jordan, which drew approximately 3,012 spectators to the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras last night.
Speaking to Scoop, 26-year-old Syaiful Kamal, a business owner from Klang, said that Malaysian players could learn a lot from the Palestinians’ passion and commitment to their national team.
For the record, Palestine, ranked 96th in the world, has not hosted an international match since 2019, and its national football leagues have been suspended for the past year due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
“There’s a lot we can learn from Palestine. I’ve been following their football team for years, and their standard has always been better than Malaysia’s, even though the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) receives more funding and has better training facilities and stadiums.
“It’s a shame that we are nowhere near their level, especially when our players have access to so many privileges. The Palestinians don’t even have proper training grounds, yet they consistently qualify for the Asian Cup. Meanwhile, Malaysia has only qualified on merit once in the last 42 years.
“I’d like to thank our Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, for setting a great example of how a Muslim nation should act, and for giving the Palestinians a place to play football and pursue their World Cup qualification dreams.
“We also hope the government can bring the Palestinian team to Malaysia more often so our players can watch, learn, and improve,” Syaiful said.
Meanwhile, Palestinian siblings Mohammed and Mona Abdalhafiz, who reside in Kuala Lumpur, expressed their gratitude toward Malaysia, describing it as one of the best countries for Palestinians due to the respect they always receive.
“We love Malaysia; they’ve always been kind to us and to all Palestinians who come here. It’s like our second home. We’ve watched our national team play several times back home, but seeing them play in Malaysia is something special.
“We are thankful to the Malaysian government and FAM for giving the Palestinian team a home ground. We hope to see Palestine in the World Cup one day,” they said.
Youssoff Adam Bakkar, a 22-year-old student from Chad at the International Islamic University Malaysia, is a staunch supporter of the Jordanian football team and hopes his country can one day reach the same level.
“I hope to see my country perform as well as Jordan in the future. Football in Chad is struggling. I became a fan of Jordan after they surprised everyone at the Asian Cup, despite being underdogs.
“I love all the players, especially Noor Al Deen Al Rawabdeh, who plays for Selangor FC. I usually watch him at the MBPJ Stadium, and today I’m here to support Jordan.
“As a student and a footballer, Rawabdeh inspires me to improve my game. I hope to be like him one day. I’m predicting a 3-0 win for Jordan,” said Youssoff.
The third round of the World Cup qualifiers involves 18 teams divided into three groups, A to C.
The top two teams from each group, after home and away matches, will qualify for the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The third and fourth-placed teams from each group will move on to round four. — September 11, 2024