Malaysia could qualify for the World Cup in another 20 years, if...

Expert Zulakbal Abdul Karim outlined a roadmap to develop Malaysian football, aiming to soon reach the World Cup dream.

According to New Strait Times, football expert Dr. Zulakbal Abdul Karim stated that Malaysia's biggest issue lies in its training system. He believes Malaysian football must face the reality that despite its long history of development, it has not produced enough quality players to compete at the highest level.

“We need to analyze why Malaysia has never qualified for the World Cup, even though football has a 100-year history,” he said.

According to Zulakbal, the correct path must start with school football, youth academies, and an early talent selection system. The years from 5 to 12 years old are considered the “golden period” for player development. If the foundation is not properly built, it is difficult to produce a generation of players capable of competing at U17, U20, U23 levels and eventually the national team.

“The golden period for development is from 5 to 12 years old. We need to expand the pool of players outside the school system and select outstanding talents for the national U17 team,” he stated.

Besides training quality, match frequency is also a crucial factor. Zulakbal believes a player needs to play at least 44 matches per year to develop comprehensively in both skill and competitive mentality. Without regular exposure, players struggle to mature and lack the ability to adapt to top-level football environments.

“Looking at Japan, Malaysia can see a clear success model. After vigorously reforming its football system and professionalizing its domestic league, Japan took only a few years to first appear at the World Cup, before maintaining its top position in Asia,” NST quoted Dr. Zulakbal Abdul Karim.

For Malaysia, that goal certainly cannot be achieved overnight. But with persistence in a long-term strategy, that dream is entirely achievable.

“If everything is done correctly, we could qualify for the World Cup within the next 20 years,” Zulakbal affirmed.