JERLUN: Mohd Faiz Subri, who is the frontrunner for this year’s FIFA’s Puskas Award, often watched clips of freekicks taken by football superstars like Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on YouTube, said his father Subri Kadir.
Met by Bernama at his home in Kampung Kepok, Ayer Hitam near here today, Subri, 64, said this was how his son learned to hone his skills in taking freekicks.
“From young he had shown a keen interest for football and would be glued for hours on end watching his favourite players in action on Youtube and because of his endless practice, he scored the wonder goal that has brought Malaysia pride,” he said.
Yesterday, FIFA through their official website www.fifa.com announced that his goal, which “defied the laws of physics“, scored during a Penang verus Pahang match in the Malaysian Super League on Feb 16, has been shortlisted among the top three for FIFA’s Puskas Award (Best Goal of the Year) for 2016.
The other two candidates in the running are Marlone from Brazil and Venezuelan Daniuska Rodriguez.
Voting, which can be done by football fans at www.fifa.com/the-best-fifa-football-awards/puskas-award/, closes on Jan 9. The winner will be announced at a gala ceremony the same day in Zurich, Switzerland.
Subri said Mohd Faiz had shown football talent as early as two years whereby he could keep the ball afloat with his feet for quite a while.
“He often did this in front of his grandfather, my late father Kadir Ahmad, who strongly believed the lad would make a name for himself one day. His talent is a gift from Allah,” he said.
He added that although Mohd Faiz never received any formal training in football or was involved with any football academy, his son took to the game like “duck to water” and often took part in village and district meets to improve on his latent skills.
After completing his primary education, Mohd Faiz went to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Permatang Bonglai near here where he studied till Form Three before he was approached by the football coach of Sekolah Menengah Teknik Arau, Perlis.
“It is in Perlis where his football career took off. He helped his team emerge champions at the secondary school level, Sekolah Menengah Teknik level and also at the Perlis level,” he said.
Mohd Faiz’s mother Saadiah Ishak, 55, said the fifth of six siblings was the jewel of the family because he often scored for Penang and was seen as a feared striker.
“I am not surprised that he is up for this award, but his goal was quite a shocker and the talk of the villagers and relatives for days,” she said.
Saadiah said Mohd Faiz had yet to inform the family as to when he would be leaving for Zurich and that she hoped he would win the award to bring glory for Malaysia on the world stage.-- BERNAMA