Malaysia is about to acquire 2 exceptional foreign players to compete against Vietnam

Coach Peter Cklamovski confirmed that Malaysia is nearing the completion of the naturalization process for Bergson and Giancarlo Gallifuoco to reinforce the team ahead of the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers versus Vietnam.

Malaysian football is preparing for a rematch against Vietnam in the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers with a significant move regarding their squad. Head coach Peter Cklamovski confirmed that the national team is about to finalize the citizenship paperwork for two quality foreign-born players, promising to register them before FIFA’s deadline on March 23 to participate in the match against Vietnam on March 31.

The two players mentioned are striker Bergson da Silva (Johor Darul Ta'zim Club) and defender Giancarlo Gallifuoco (Kuala Lumpur City Club). Both have played in Malaysia since 2021, meeting FIFA's residency requirement of over 5 years. It was revealed that the process to obtain Malaysian passports is being expedited urgently.

The most notable case is Bergson – the Brazilian forward, 35 years old this year, who still maintains an impressive goal-scoring record. Since 2021, he has scored 176 goals for Johor Darul Ta'zim, including 32 goals in 2025 and 16 goals early in 2026. Coach Cklamovski highly praises his future player by stating: “He is a very dangerous striker for any defense… I see him as a lethal weapon that we can utilize most effectively.”.

The Australian coach also revealed that he has spoken directly with Bergson: “He is very eager. He wants to be called up to the Malaysian national team and do something special.”. With the Malaysian national team's attack showing signs of weakening, Bergson’s arrival is expected to make a significant difference when facing Vietnam in Hanoi.

Meanwhile, Malaysia has practically “abandoned” seven previously naturalized players who are involved in a case concerning forged documents.. The case is being appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with a hearing scheduled for February 26. Although the 12-month ban is temporarily suspended, the risk of losing the appeal forces the Malaysian Football Federation to shift toward a legitimate naturalization policy.

Besides the two players mentioned, Coach Cklamovski said he plans to continue adding foreign-born players in the future. However, Malaysia also received bad news as winger Arif Aiman Hanapi is unlikely to recover in time. He admitted: “I don’t think Arif will be ready… I’m probably leaning towards him not being available at this time.”. With major personnel changes, Malaysia is betting on the fresh impact of these naturalized foreign players to gain an advantage over Vietnam in the crucial match at the end of March.