KUALA LUMPUR: Luqman Hakim Shamsudin's body language said it all. He is determined to succeed in European football though several Malaysian players before him tried and failed.
The 18-year-old striker has made it known that although he is smaller than European players physically, he has tons of determination to make up for it.
Luqman has vowed to make a success of his move to Belgium, a country occupying the No 1 place in Fifa's world ranking, after signing a five-year contract with Belgian club KV Kortrijk today.
The hard working footballer from Kota Baru, who even worked as a food delivery boy during the MCO, is determined to be the real deal from Malaysia.
He committed the next five years of his budding career to European action in a signing ceremony with KV Kortrijk at the Berjaya Hotel in Kuala Lumpur today.
Luqman will fly to Belgium next week to join his new club, following a delay due to travel restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Luqman, who was with club owner Tan Sri Vincent Tan today, said although it will be a tough challenge for him in a foreign land, he is bent on making a name for himself.
"Although I'm smaller in size compared to European players, what's more important is that I have a huge heart.
"Having the heart and the soul to be strong will be far greater than physical size. That's what I will give when I go to Belgium," he said.
Luqman said Vincent Tan had told him to score goals and make an impression in the Belgian league, and he is determined to deliver.
"As a striker, I have to look for goals anyway. The pressure is always there for any players. I will go there and give my everything.
"I want to prove that Asian players can make it in Europe, and that Asia has a lot of talent.
"I feel honoured that I have been given the opportunity based on what I have shown but there are a lot more talent in Malaysia," he said.
Luqman added that Premier League side, Selangor II have been helping him prepare for the move to Belgium by pushing him to the limit in training.
"They made me work 100 per cent on my fitness. I have made early preparations to play in Belgium.
"From physical to mental, there may be some sort of pressure. But for players, that's normal."
Meanwhile, Tan felt it isn't the best solution for Luqman to travel back and forth from Belgium to Malaysia for national Under-19 training for the Asian championship in Tashkent in October.
"We have allowed him to go back to train for the national U19 team, so Luqman will be in Belgium for a month plus, then come back, then go back again," said Tan.
"I think KVK would rather he doesn't come back but we have to consider the country's interest and continue discussing the matter with his national coach (Brad Maloney) to see if he can be spared.
"I agree it could affect him and it's not good to be travelling back and forth. However, nothing is cast in stone and we'll see how this plays out." he added.