Malaysian footballer (1948–2023)
Shaharuddin Abdullah (28 August 1948 – 28 December 2023) was a Malaysian footballer.[3] He was once one of the most feared strikers in the country, known as "Harimau Malaysia" because of his ability to score goals.[4][5] He once scored 15 goals for Malaysia in the Merdeka Cup which stood as a record for a very long time.[6] His father, Abdullah Mohammad, was a goalkeeper for Penang in the 1950s.[6] He was a part of the Malaysian squad at the 1972 Summer Olympics.[7][8]
Career
Abdullah started to play football when he was nine years old. He used the Marin Sg. Gelugor field near his house to learn football skills. He helped his school, Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Gelugor, to win the district and inter-school championships.
In 1964 when he was 16 years old, he was selected to play for the Penang Burnley Cup team along with his brother, Namat Abdullah, Ali Bakar, Mohammed Bakar, Khalil Hashim, Cha Peng Chiang, Yap Kim Kok and N Baskaran.[9]
Abdullah played for Malaysia in the 1972 Munich Olympics.[10] Shaharuddin played in all three group games and scored in the 3–0 win against the United States.[11][12][13][14] Overall he made 70 appearances and scored 39 international goals for Malaysia.[15]
In 2004, he was inducted in Olympic Council of Malaysia's Hall of Fame for 1972 Summer Olympics football team.[16]
Personal life
Namat Abdullah, his brother also played for Penang and together with his uncle, Aziz Ahmad.[17] Shaharuddin's son, Shafiq Shaharudin, is also a professional footballer.[18][19]
Shaharuddin Abdullah died on 28 December 2023, at the age of 75.[20]
