WHEN talent scouts around the globe check out the Guardian’s annual list of Next Generation’s 60 of the best young talents in world football, Malaysia will proudly have one among them.
Expect the Terengganu-born Luqman Hakim Shamsudin to be on the radar of talent scouts or football agents internationally.
The fleet footed 1.7m Luqman has found himself in the same company as Real Madrid player Andri Lucas, the son of former Chelsea player, Eidur Gudjohnsen; Rennes’ Eduardo Camavinga, said to be next Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona starlet Ansu Fati.
Spain national coach Robert Moreno said on Friday the 16-year-old forward Fati could figure in Spain’s Euro 2020 squad.
The Guardian identifies the best young talent (Under-17) from around the world every year and will also follow their progress with an annual update.
The Next Generation list has been announced by the Guardian annually since 2014. And Luqman is the first ever Malaysian to get the recognition.
On Luqman’s making the 60 of the best young talents in world football for this year, the Guardian’s Asia-based football writer John Duerden wrote: “Malaysia have waited years for someone to replace the late and much lamented Mokhtar Dahari, who put Arsenal to the sword back in 1975, and this striker has been tipped as one who just may be able to fill those sizeable shoes.”
Joint top scorer at the 2018 Asian Under-16 championships, this fleet-footed graduate of Malaysia’s National Football Development Programme (NFDP) has caught the attention of Japanese clubs. In September, however, he signed for the Tan Sri Vincent Tan-owned Belgian club K.V. Kortrijk.”
Luqman, who is from the National Football Development Programme, is among six players from Asia good enough for the Guardian list. The other Asian young guns selected are Australian Noah Botic (Hoffenheim), Japan’s Jun Nishikawa (Cerezo Osaka), Tajikistan’s Khasanov Mukhriddin (Parvoz), Thailand’s Suphanat Mueanta (Buriram United) and Uzbekistan’s Jasurbek Jaloliddinov (Bunyodkor).
The 17-year-old Luqman, when asked about the Next Generation recognition, said: “I’m very happy and grateful to be chosen.
“I didn’t think about something like this because I didn’t even know about it,” said Luqman.
“I got to know about it from my coach. It’s a great recognition and something I would like to dedicate to my mother and father as well as my coaches. And also to Malaysians who always pray and hope for the best for me. Thank you.”
Luqman, who will sign with Belgian club KV Kortrijk after he turns 18 in March 2020, said he did not expect his career to go this far so soon. He is the sixth Southeast Asian youngster to make the Next Generation list since 2014 with the first being Irfan, a son of the legendary Singaporean footballer Fandi Ahmad.
NFDP technical director Saad Ichalalene said: “All the people working for the NFDP programme are very happy to see Luqman get some international recognition. I suppose, this is also the case for all the agencies working with us and for many Malaysian football fans,” added Ichalalene, a former Paris Saint-Germain Youth Academy coach.
“It is also a great reward for the technical staff especially for the coaches who worked with this first generation (2002) and for the Director of the National Academy. This is a small step for the player because the most difficult task starts now.
“This kind of list does not suggest anything about their future career but it must surely be a confidence booster. We hope to open more doors in the coming years for young Malaysian players.”
FA of Malaysia secretary general Stuart Ramalingam said: “It’s great Luqman has been included. We hope he will remain focused on his long term goal and strives for excellence.”