As the full-time whistle blew at the Jalan Besar Stadium, Zaki Jumlan stood with his hands on his hips, disappointment etched across his face.
His first taste of donning the national jersey did not unfold the way he had hoped. The Singapore Under-16s had just suffered back-to-back defeats against BG Pathum United and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) in the 2024 Lion City Cup, ending their campaign in fourth place.
Although the results were a bitter pill to swallow for Zaki, the tournament served as an important stepping stone for the young defensive midfielder. Deployed at the heart of defence after coming on as a substitute in the first game against BG Pathum, Zaki completed the full 90 minutes in the third-place match against JDT.
“Last year was my first time playing in front of such a crowd at the Jalan Besar Stadium, and that has helped me improve a lot,” explained the 16-year-old. “I made some mistakes, but I’ve since grown from them, and it has made me a better player now.
“We’re definitely going to give it our all to prove the doubters wrong and improve on last year’s performance. As a team, we really want to win the Lion City Cup and deliver the results our fans are hoping for.”
The invaluable experience of competing against strong regional sides in the tournament laid the groundwork for the team’s continued development. Despite the many setbacks along the way, Zaki credited the team for their unwavering fighting spirit and how they continued to give their best till the final whistle.
That grit is exactly what the Zaki – captain of the Singapore U16 Class of 2025 heading into the Lion City Cup – hopes he and his teammates will bring to the Jalan Besar Stadium.
“Being able to lead the team out this year is a huge honour, but it comes with just as much responsibility,” he described. “We have a few more training sessions to go before the first game, but physically – I’m ready, and the team is also ready.
“Right now, everybody is prepared and we are fully focused on giving our best for the first game.”
While Zaki is an occasional extrovert around his friends, he admits that he is an introvert off the field, so receiving the captaincy call from Head Coach Ashraf Ariffin was something unexpected.
“I’ve always wanted to play for my country, but I did not expect to do so at this age, let alone become captain,” he said. “Maybe it’s because I have some experience playing in this tournament, and that can help me guide the team towards doing our best.”
Preparations for the tournament began some three weeks ago, with the team travelling to Thailand for a series of friendly matches last week. Despite coming from different clubs, Zaki asserted that a strong sense of camaraderie has already been developed.
“Looking back on the first training session compared to now, we have grown a lot closer as a team. We may come from different clubs, but we have bonded well with each other,” Zaki explained.
“All of us understand our respective strengths and weaknesses, and that has already allowed us to help each other out a lot both on and off the pitch.”
That cohesiveness has translated well into the team’s performance on the training ground, with Zaki highlighting their collective pressing ability as one manifestation of the team’s unity and understanding.
Having first picked up football in Primary 2, Zaki has been immersed in the sport ever since. His passion to pursue football at a higher level led him to represent academies such as JSSL and ActiveSG DC. He now features for the National Development Centre (NDC) under the Unleash The Roar! (UTR) project.
Zaki has already experienced plenty of ups and downs in his footballing journey, but his parents have remained a steadfast pillar of support throughout – often ferrying him to training and ensuring he had the football gear he needed.
“My parents are the first people I turn to for support,” he said. “They’ve always been there for me since young, and they continue to encourage me even on my bad days. They have played a huge role in getting me to where I am today.”
Determined to make his parents proud, Zaki is looking to rally his team as they take on their first assignment against the Philippines at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Wednesday (9 July).
Now carrying the added weight of the captain’s armband, Zaki is embracing the pressure that comes with leading the team, using it as fuel to spur himself on in a tournament that will serve as a springboard ahead of the upcoming Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers in November.
“Pressure is what allows me to perform better. I know that my family and friends have their expectations of me, and that is what motivates me to do the things that I do well,” he said.
“We will bring a positive mindset into all of the games. The goal is to take things one game at a time and not think too far ahead. Our full focus is on what’s in front of us first.”
