Four-time champions Singapore are the second most successful nation in the ASEAN Championship history, and they will be gunning for their first title in 12 years as they participate in the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024.
After narrowly missing out on a semi-final berth in the 2022 edition, Tsutomu Ogura’s players will be keen to better the likes of former winners Thailand and Malaysia in a tricky Group A to make it to the knockout stages this time around.
Honours
Champions (4): 2012, 2007, 2004, 1998
Semi-finals (2): 2020, 2010
Tournament Highlights
Singapore emerged victorious in the second edition of the ASEAN Championship in 1998 as R. Sasikumar scored the winner in the title clash against Vietnam in Hanoi. Their second title came six years later when they posted a commanding 5-2 aggregate win over Indonesia in the final under Serbian tactician Radojko Avramovic.
In the 2007 final, Singapore edged Thailand 2-1 in the first leg in Kallang before Khairul Amri emerged as the Lions hero when his late goal in Bangkok sealed a 3-2 aggregate win and their third ASEAN title.
Avramovic ended his impressive nine-year spell with Singapore with his third title and the nation’s fourth in 2012 at the expense of the Thais, who were beaten 3-2 again over two legs.
Head Coach: Tsutomu Ogura
Tsutomu Ogura was named the new Singapore head coach earlier this year, becoming the third successive Japanese tactician to take charge of the Lions since 2019 after Tatsuma Yoshida and Takayuki Nishigaya. The 58-year-old began his coaching career with JEF United Ichihara in 1996 and went on to be part of the Japan national team set-up between 2006 to 2012.
He was also part of Japan’s Olympic national team as they finished fourth in the 2012 London Olympics before overseeing Yokohama F. Marinos’ J1 League triumph under Ange Postecoglou in 2019 as the club’s sporting director. Ogura has also worked for a number of Japanese clubs, including Omiya Ardija, Ventforet Kofu, JEF United Chiba and Tokyo Verdy.
One to Watch: Faris Ramli
At 32 years of age, Faris Ramli is one of the most experienced players in the Singapore side alongside captain Hariss Harun and centre-back Safuwan Baharudin, and the Lions will be relying on goals from the Tampines Rovers winger as they look to reclaim the ASEAN crown.
Faris was on the scoresheet as Singapore came back from behind to hold China PR to a 2-2 draw in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers second round in March before netting again in a defeat in the return fixture in Tianjin five days later.
The Legend: Fandi Ahmad
The greatest striker produced by Singapore, Fandi Ahmad remains the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 55 goals, of which four came in the inaugural edition of the ASEAN Championship in 1996. His goals also helped the Lions win silver medals in the Southeast Asian Games in 1983, 1985 and 1989.
Fandi became the first Singaporean to play in Europe when he signed a two-year deal with FC Groningen in 1983, going on to score twice in his Eredivisie debut against Go Ahead Eagles as well as netting against Italian giants Inter on his UEFA Cup debut. He returned to the ASEAN Championship in 2018 as the Singapore head coach.
Did You Know?
Singapore’s Noh Alam Shah holds the record for scoring most goals in a single match (seven goals vs Laos) and in a single edition (10) of the ASEAN Championship – both in 2007 when he was also recognised with the MVP award as Singapore emerged as the Southeast Asian champions for a third time.
Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ Fixtures
Singapore vs Cambodia (11 December, 2024)
Timor-Leste vs Singapore (14 December, 2024)
Singapore vs Thailand (17 December, 2024)
Malaysia vs Singapore (20 December, 2024)
Photo: Football Association of Singapore
Share now
