The Long and Winding Road Towards Playing at the Singapore National Stadium: Amir Syafiz
- Hana Basir
- Jul 23
- 5 min read
With two newly-achieved caps to his name, Amir Syafiz now hopes that all the trials and tribulations he's faced will lead to his ultimate goal of playing at the National Stadium
This is a feature article written by SportPlus.sg for Kallang Alive Sports Management. For more sports events, programmes and human stories of Singapore Sports Hub, visit the Singapore Sports Hub's 'Here to Play' website.
His journey to the Singapore National Team was not an easy one, and it never is for any footballer. For Amir Syafiz—who’s had to fight tooth and nail through injury—when the good came, it came all at once.
Ticking a dream off the bucket list
On June 5th of this year, Amir didn’t just receive his first call-up—he earned a spot in the starting eleven, ready to hit the ground running on his debut, and went on to win 3-1 against Maldives that night in front of a home crowd at Jalan Besar Stadium.
Next on his bucket list though, is to hear the roar of the crowd at the Singapore National Stadium.
“I’m really waiting for that day to come. Even though I’ve made my first appearance for the Singapore National Team, it's on my bucket list to play in front of the home crowd at the National Stadium. It’s a dream for me. It’ll be a really memorable and emotional one for me because I’ll be playing in front of the home crowd with my family in the stands,” shared Amir.
“It was unbelievable to get the first call-up and to get two caps. It was a big achievement for me. I’ll take it as a gift to improve myself as a footballer, as training with the senior players was a memorable moment for me. I went from watching them as a kid to now training alongside them — same team, same pitch. It has changed me as a player. It’s changed my performances and my discipline. It’s an honour for me.”
Back to where it began
Now making waves at just 21, Amir’s journey began at the age of six. It was his mother who first recognized his potential and made it her mission to nurture both the footballer and the person within him. It all began at the Fandi Ahmad Academy, where Amir started to believe that he could make a living out of the thing he loved most.
Amir then made his professional debut in 2021, turning out for Young Lions against Balestier Khalsa. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic however, like many in the world, Amir had to dig deep to find ways to continue his rise to the top despite restrictions.
“It was a big challenge for me because we had to train with only five people during the pandemic. After that, I managed to train hard and solidify my place in the Young Lions team. From there, my mind was just on football. There was a lot of motivation from the team and the coaches, but in this football journey, I’ve faced many setbacks, some in the form of injuries,” said Amir.
The grand rebuild
At 19, Amir suffered an injury to his Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), and that was when it hit him. It was the year of the SEA Games in Cambodia, and he won’t be going.
“Not being able to go to the SEA Games was a really sad moment for me because I’d never experienced playing at the SEA Games before. The players, staff and coaches really helped me and motivated me to go further in this footballing journey and to never give up."
"As a whole, the Young Lions team and the physios really helped me mentally,” Amir recollected bittersweetly.
“That was when I realised that it was quite a major setback because I realised I won’t be representing Singapore. From there, I was disciplined and did my rehab well, focused fully on my daily training and told myself to make an impactful comeback.”
Taking Singapore football forward, one step at a time
A year ago, Amir and the national team began training at the Kallang Football Hub—a place he says has given him a sense of belonging on his journey to the top. Prior to the opening of the brand new facility at Singapore Sports Hub, the atmosphere was abuzz—and the team was excited to see what the fuss was all about.
“When I first knew about the Kallang Football Hub being built, I really wanted to come down and see it. I wanted to train here because of the natural grass pitch,” laughed Amir.
“When the day came for us to have our first session here, it was amazing to see the facilities and the changing rooms. For me, it’s really a top level facility that will help the younger generation in their football journey. Knowing that there are three fields—including the sheltered pitch—all in one area, it’s really helpful for us. We all know how unpredictable the weather can be.
“We don’t have a lot of natural grass pitches in Singapore. I have to appreciate this pitch and it’s very well taken care of. We even have the gym prepared for us, which I use before training and don’t take for granted. I prepare myself with some muscle activations before each training.”
Every time he steps onto the pitch at the Kallang Football Hub, the forward sets a small personal goal — whether it’s scoring one, two, or even three goals. These self-set targets, combined with feedback from his coaches, are what drive his continuous growth as a player.
And with growth comes results—something he hopes will draw the fans into stadiums to support The Lions.
“The fans will want to see results. If we show results, the fans will come down and support, and maybe it’ll go back to how it was back in the day when the National Stadium was full. The passion from the players too and commitment on the pitch is important. I think we’re working towards the goal of being up there again,” shared Amir.
And to those who will come after him to carry Singapore football forward, Amir says to have faith in the journey, no matter how long or winding it may be.
“It’s not an easy journey, and will never be one as a footballer. There’ll always be challenges through the years. Never give up and always believe that you’ll get there one day—maybe playing overseas or in the national team. Never give up and always believe in yourself.”
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