Ahead of the 33rd SEA Games men's football tournament in Thailand, Malaysian football legend Datuk Jamal Nasir has expressed pessimism regarding the national U22 team's readiness. Despite his concerns, he hopes his frank assessment will serve as a strong challenge, motivating the squad to prove him wrong and secure a place in the semi-finals.

Jamal Nasir voiced his apprehension about Malaysia's ability to overcome strong opponents like Vietnam. "I'm worried about overcoming Vietnam," he told the Malaysian newspaper New Straits Times. "They are a strong opponent, while Malaysia has not performed well enough in recent tournaments to instill confidence". Malaysia is placed in group B and is scheduled to face Laos on 6/12, followed by Vietnam on 11/12. With this year's format of three groups, each comprising three teams, only the group winners and the best second-placed team will advance.

Malaysia U22 players training at Sime Darby FC stadium in Shah Alam, Malaysia on 28/11, in preparation for SEA Games 33. Photo: FAM.

The former Malaysia international believes the current squad is "unprepared", citing their early exit from the group stage of U23 Southeast Asia 2025 and the U23 Asia 2026 qualifiers. He also criticized the team's late training camp, which began on 25/11. Nasir had previously raised concerns when the team did not convene during the November FIFA Days, viewing it as a wasted opportunity to build team standards and confidence. "Malaysia did not play overseas friendlies to address weaknesses," Nasir stated. "There hasn't been any press conference to learn more about the team coach Nafuzi Zain has assembled".

Despite his stark assessment, Jamal Nasir hopes his statements will be taken as both advice and a challenge to the entire team. He added: "If anyone says they will not reach the semi-finals, then prove us wrong. SEA Games is not for half-hearted efforts. Work hard so you have no regrets when the final whistle blows". Jamal Nasir, a former full-back, played 88 matches for the Malaysia national team between 1975 and 1984. At the age of 70, he remains actively involved in Malaysian football as a critic.

Malaysia U22 head coach Nafuzi Zain at a training session on 28/11. Photo: FAM.

In contrast to Malaysia's preparations, Vietnam underwent a training camp and played two practice matches against Qatar in October. In November, the Vietnamese U22 team participated in the U22 Panda Cup friendly tournament, where they competed against hosts China, Uzbekistan, and South Korea. Similarly, Laos' core squad has been integrated into their senior national team by coach Ha Hyeok-jun to compete in the final qualifiers for the Asian Cup 2027.

Malaysia's 23-player squad includes only 6 players from the national league, with the majority playing in the Malaysia First Division. However, coach Nafuzi Zain remains optimistic that the team will advance past the group stage. Team captain Ubaidullah Shamsul is determined to demonstrate the team's capabilities after missing out on the U23 Asia 2026 finals, ensuring that a recent naturalized player falsification scandal affecting the senior national team does not impact their focus.

"We need to win and avoid repeating past mistakes from the previous tournament. Success at SEA Games can boost Malaysian football morale," Shamsul affirmed. "Other incidents are not the team's problem. Our task is to play football and achieve the best results".

Malaysia last reached the men's football final at the SEA Games in 2017 on home soil, where they lost 0-1 to Thailand. The team's most recent gold medal in men's football was secured at SEA Games 2011 in Indonesia.

Hieu Luong