Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) president Joehari Ayub said tomorrow’s match between Manchester United and Asean All Stars was more than just a world-class sporting event.
The match is also one for Malaysia and the region to be proud of.
“This match represents a meaningful ‘goal’ for Malaysia on the global football stage and a powerful symbol of Asean solidarity, through sport without doubt.
“This is a very good match for the country and for Malaysian football as a whole,” he said at a press conference here.
Also present were Pro-Events Group CEO Julian Kam, Asean Football Federation (AFF) president Khiev Sameth, Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim and midfielder Mason Mount.
Joehari also said that Manchester United’s presence at the Bukit Jalil national stadium is a tremendous honour, noting the club’s rich history.
Manchester United, he said, is synonymous with the values of teamwork, dedication, and global inspiration.
Separately, Amorim said that it was United’s “duty” to be in Malaysia, adding that despite the team’s difficult season, it was amazing to see how many fans the club have.
“They (the fans) have been following the club for so many years and for us it is really important to have that connection.”
When asked if he saw tomorrow’s match more as a “showcase” or an opportunity to develop the team, Amorim said United saw every game as a huge responsibility as it would be watched by fans around the world.
“We want to respect all of this, all this attention, all this kindness from everybody, so we want to play well.”
Tomorrow’s match will see United’s first team players, including captain Bruno Fernandes, Rasmus Højlund, Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot, Kobbie Mainoo and Amad Diallo go up against Malaysia’s Azam Azmi Murad, Adib Abdul Raop, Sergio Ezequiel Aguero, as well as Mo Kan, the captain of the Cambodian national team, and Do Duy Manh, the captain of the Vietnamese national team.
