Hassan Sunny

Hassan Sunny
Hassan bin Abdullah Sunny (born 2 April 1984) is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Singapore Premier League club Albirex Niigata (S) and the Singapore national team. He is regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers in SouthEast Asia and also Singapore's history.
In 2016, UK based The Daily Telegraph ranked him #18 on its list of the world's top 20 goalkeepers. He admitted to The Straits Times that he originally thought that it was a late April Fools joke.
Hassan is the first and only player in the Singapore Premier League history to win the four league titles with four different clubs.
Football career
Along with Baihakki Khaizan, Shahril Ishak and Khairul Amri, Hassan was in the pioneer batch of the National Football Academy in 2000.
Hassan has previously played for S.League clubs Tampines Rovers, Geylang United, Young Lions, Warriors and Lion City Sailors.
According to an interview he gave in November 2007, Hassan only started playing football competitively when he was 10, captaining his school, May Primary School. He later went on to represent Braddell Secondary School football team as well.
Hassan started playing football as a midfielder, only switching to playing as a goalkeeper due to an asthma attack he suffered when he was 12. He also quipped that his happiest football memory was that, back in 1999, he scored the winning goal from the halfway line in a game that ended 2–1. joined the Eagles from the Singapore U-18 team and quickly cemented his spot in the first team, earning an S.League Young Player of the Year nomination for his confident performances and knack for pulling off blinding saves.
Tampines Rovers
In 2008, he joined Geylang International's bitter rivals, Tampines Rovers. He helped the club to win the 2011 S.League and the 2011 Singapore Community Shield.
Singapore Armed Forces (also known as Warriors)
In December 2011, Hassan joined SAFFC, after four years of service as Tampines Rovers' first-choice goalkeeper.
His brilliant performances in the 2014 S.League season helped the Warriors win the S.League title. He also became the first goalkeeper to win the S.League Player of the Year award in 2014.
Army United
Hassan joined Army United. for the 2015 Thai Premier League season. He made his debut in a 1–0 win over Royal Thai Navy. After a series of games in good form Hassan excelled in a surprising 1–0 away win at Suphanburi, handing the latter side their first home defeat of the 2015 season as well as giving Hassan man-of-the-match award. After the game, Suphanburi player Jakkaphan Pornsai said Hassan's performance was the main reason Suphanburi lost the match. In November 2015 Hassan signed a new two-year contract with the club. He excelled so much so that British newspaper The Telegraph placed him 18th in their list of top 20 goalkeepers worldwide in 2016. In December 2016 after the relegation of Army United from Thai League 1, Hassan Sunny was released from the team, ending two years of service at the Thai club.
Home United
Following his release from the Thai League side, Hassan signed for S.League side Home United.
Gainare Tottori trials
On 10 February 2017, Hassan linked up with Japanese third-tier (J3) club, Gainare Tottori, to get a taste of professional football in Japan. He played for Gainare in two friendlies during the brief stint. A snowstorm delayed the team's arrival at Osaka from their Gainare base some 200 km away by several hours, however, despite minimal preparation, Hassan did not appear affected and he played about 70 minutes of the Tottori 3–3 draw with top-tier South Korean side Incheon United at the J-Green Sakai training facility. Hassan added he was encouraged by the positive feedback he received from head coach Ryuzo Morioka and the club's goalkeeper coaches.
Return to Army United
After the end of 2017 S.League season, Hassan re-signed for Army United and will play for them in the 2018 Thai League 2 season. He made his second debut for the club in the club's season opener against Nongbua Pitchaya on 10 February 2018, facing off against another Singaporean goalkeeper, Izwan Mahbud, who was also making his debut.
Back to Home United (now known as Lion City Sailors)
After 2 seasons with Army United, Hassan penned a 2-year deal with the new privatised club, Lion City Sailors.
During a match against Balestier Khalsa on 8 August 2021, Hassan was substituted after suffering an injury from a collision with teammate Jorge Felipe. The collision ultimately led to Šime Žužul opening the score for the Jaguars though the Sailors were able to salvage a point through Stipe Plazibat. He went on to win the 2021 Singapore Premier League title with the club. On 19 February 2022, He helped LCS win the 2022 Singapore Community Shield. During the club 2022 AFC Champions League group stage campaign, He kept 3 clean sheets in 6 matches. At the end of the season, He left Lion City Sailors after 3 season at the club.
Albirex Niigata Singapore
On 16 December 2022, Albirex Niigata Singapore announced the signing of Hassan on a 2-years contract until 2024. Its his 6th club in the Singapore Premier League. On 8 June 2023, Hassan signed a 1-year contract extension until 2025. In his first season at the club, he won the 2023 Singapore Premier League title thus becoming the first and only player in the league history to win the league titles with 4 different clubs which also leads him to win the Golden Gloves with 9 clean sheets in the league.
International career
A graduate of the National Football Academy, in February 2004, two months shy of turning 20, Hassan made his international debut for Singapore against India after a superb debut season with Geylang United in 2003.
With midfielder Shahril Ishak, defender Baihakki Khaizan and winger Muhammad Ridhuan, he is part of the 'NFA Gang of Four', the quartet which has played together since their early teenage years and earned senior international honors in 2003.
He kept goal for the U-23 team that participated in the 2003 South-East Asian Games in Vietnam, before joining the Young Lions for the 2004 S.League season.
His first appearance in a Lions shirt came in August 2003 when the young keeper replaced Rezal Hassan at half-time in a friendly against the Japan Olympic team.
He had to wait until 18 February 2004 for his first cap for Singapore though, which came against India in a World Cup qualifier.
He has been a regular fixture in the national team, though only as a substitute for Lionel Lewis. However, due to his poor performances in the Merdeka Cup in 2007 with the Under-23 team, he was dropped for the friendly against UAE and Jasper Chan was called up in his place.
His fine display at the 2007 SEA Games helped the Singapore Under-23 squad win the bronze medal – their first SEA Games medal since 1995.
He performed extremely well in a World Cup Qualifier match against Saudi Arabia, but Singapore lost the match 2–0.
On 28 July 2008, Hassan played the first half as part of a Singapore Selection side in a friendly match against the Brazil Olympics Team and made outstanding saves against Diego and Alexandre Pato shots, letting in only three goals.
Hassan won his 75th cap for the Lions in early September 2018 against Mauritius.
Media headlines in Indonesia and Singapore for his renowned performances
Hassan was selected for the 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup that took place in December 2021, featuring in all of Singapore's games and making 20 saves throughout the entire tournament. On 25 December 2021, Hassan made 11 saves for the Lions against Indonesia but got sent off in the 118th minute of extra time after a last man tackle of Irfan Jaya. The Lions lost 4–2 in the end but Hassan received applause from both home and away fans for his heroic duties. He was voted in Team of the Tournament for his superb performance in the entire tournament.
On 24 September 2022, 18 years and 218 days on from that World Cup qualifier against India in Goa on his International debut, he came full circle by earning his 100th cap against the same opponents in the 2022 VFF Tri-Nations Series.
Others
Singapore Selection squad
Hassan was selected as part of the Singapore Selection squad for The Sultan of Selangor's Cup held on 6 May 2017.
Personal life
In October 2021, Hassan together with his family, opened a Nasi Padang stall, Dapur Hassan, in Tampines, Singapore. On 22 August 2023, he opened his second stall outlet at 144 Tampines Street 12 while his flagship stall presently sits at 872C Tampines Street 86.
Career statistics
Club
Young Lions is ineligible for qualification to AFC competitions in their respective leagues.
Honours
Club
Tampines Rovers
S.League: 2011
Singapore Community Shield: 2011
Warriors
S.League: 2014
Singapore Cup: 2012
Lion City Sailors
Singapore Premier League: 2021
Singapore Community Shield: 2022
Albirex Niigata (S)
Singapore Premier League: 2023
Singapore Community Shield: 2023
International
AFF Championship: 2004, 2007
Southeast Asian Games Bronze Medal: 2007
Individual
S.League Golden Gloves: 2009
Singapore Premier League Golden Gloves: 2023
S.League Player of the Year: 2014
2020 AFF Championship: Team of the Tournament
References
External links
Player profile – doha-2006.com
1984 births
Living people
Singapore men's international footballers
Singaporean men's footballers
Geylang International FC players
Tampines Rovers FC players
Warriors FC players
Singapore Premier League players
Hassan Sunny
Expatriate men's footballers in Thailand
Hassan Sunny
Men's association football goalkeepers
Footballers at the 2006 Asian Games
Footballers at the 2014 Asian Games
SEA Games bronze medalists for Singapore
SEA Games medalists in football
Competitors at the 2007 SEA Games
Asian Games competitors for Singapore
Lion City Sailors FC players
FIFA Men's Century Club