SINGAPORE, 2024, NOVEMBER 06 – Head Coach Tsutomu Ogura has named a 26-man squad for Singapore’s upcoming international friendlies, scheduled to be held at the Singapore National Stadium. The Lions will face Myanmar on 14 November and Chinese Taipei on 18 November, with both matches set to kick off at 8:00pm local time.
Among the notable inclusions is Kyoga Nakamura, who earned his first official call-up following his acquisition of Singapore citizenship on 25 October. Recognised for his creativity and precise left-footed passes, Nakamura has spent recent months training with the squad to familiarise himself with Singapore’s playing style. His recent involvement included a familiarisation stint in September and participation in a centralised training camp in Japan in October, where he quickly demonstrated his ability to adapt to the team’s tactics.
Ogura’s selection also sees the return of seven players, including Safuwan Baharudin, Irfan Najeeb, Joel Chew, Nazrul Nazari, Lionel Tan, Christopher van Huizen, and Shawal Anuar. This mix reflects Ogura’s strategy to balance experienced players with fresh talent as the team gears up for the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup (ME Cup). Singapore will compete in Group A, alongside defending champions Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Timor-Leste.
“This November window is critical as it provides us with an opportunity to prepare for the ME Cup campaign, allowing us to test tactics and evaluate player fitness,” Ogura commented.
Players based overseas who have not yet confirmed their release for the ME Cup were not included in the squad for this window. The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) will continue discussions with their respective clubs regarding their availability for the tournament.
“The ME Cup falls outside the FIFA international window, so I extend my gratitude to our Singapore Premier League clubs and overseas teams for releasing players for this tournament. This includes Lion City Sailors FC, BG Tampines Rovers FC, and Selangor FC, who also have commitments in the AFC Champions League 2 tournament. Their support for the National Team is much appreciated,” Ogura added.
The Lions will commence training on 11 November 2024, following a structured schedule designed to ensure optimal preparation for the matches.
The full list of players is as follows:
| S/No. | Name | Position | Caps | Goals | Date of Birth | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Izwan Mahbud | GK | 54 | 0 | 14-Jul-90 | Lion City Sailors FC |
| 2 | Rudy Khairullah Adi Negara | GK | 0 | 0 | 19-Jul-94 | Geylang International FC |
| 3 | Syazwan Buhari | GK | 2 | 0 | 22-Sep-92 | BG Tampines Rovers FC |
| 4 | Amirul Adli Azmi | DF | 27 | 0 | 13-Jan-96 | BG Tampines Rovers FC |
| 5 | Jordan Emaviwe | DF | 0 | 0 | 9-Apr-01 | Balestier Khalsa FC |
| 6 | Irfan Najeeb | DF | 3 | 0 | 11-Feb-91 | BG Tampines Rovers FC |
| 7 | Nazrul Nazari | DF | 64 | 0 | 11-Feb-91 | Hougang United FC |
| 8 | Nur Adam Abdullah | DF | 9 | 13-Apr-01 | Young Lions | |
| 9 | Shakir Hamzah | DF | 65 | 4 | 20-Oct-92 | Geylang International FC |
| 10 | Safuwan Baharudin | DF | 113 | 13 | 22-Sep-91 | Selangor FC (MAS) |
| 11 | Ryhan Stewart | DF | 15 | 0 | 15-Feb-00 | Albirex Niigata FC (Singapore) |
| 12 | Lionel Tan | DF | 12 | 3 | 5-Jun-97 | Lion City Sailors FC |
| 13 | Christopher van Huizen | DF | 21 | 1 | 28-Nov-92 | Lion City Sailors FC |
| 14 | Farhan Zulkifli | DF | 2 | 0 | 10-Nov-02 | Young Lions* |
| 15 | Joel Chew | MF | 5 | 0 | 9-Feb-00 | BG Tampines Rovers FC |
| 16 | Anumanthan Mohan Kumar | MF | 40 | 0 | 14-Jul-94 | Lion City Sailors FC |
| 17 | Hami Syahin Said | MF | 23 | 0 | 16-Nov-98 | Lion City Sailors FC |
| 18 | Hariss Harun | MF | 132 | 11 | 19-Nov-90 | Lion City Sailors FC |
| 19 | Glenn Kweh | MF | 13 | 0 | 26-Mar-00 | BG Tampines Rovers FC |
| 20 | Kyoga Nakamura | MF | 0 | 0 | 25-Apr-96 | BG Tampines Rovers FC |
| 21 | Naqiuddin Eunos | MF | 2 | 0 | 12-Jan-97 | Geylang International FC |
| 22 | Shah Shahiran | MF | 23 | 1 | 14-Nov-99 | BG Tampines Rovers FC |
| 23 | Abdul Rasaq Akeem | FW | 0 | 0 | 16-Jun-01 | Lion City Sailors FC |
| 24 | Faris Ramli | FW | 81 | 13 | 24-Aug-92 | BG Tampines Rovers FC |
| 25 | Shawal Anuar | FW | 35 | 11 | 29-Apr-91 | Lion City Sailors FC |
| 26 | Taufik Suparno | FW | 8 | 0 | 31-Oct-95 | BG Tampines Rovers FC |
*Hougang United FC from 9 November 2024
The Lions are eager to showcase their preparedness for the ME Cup, with players vying for a place in the squad that will represent Singapore in December.
