Adam Swandi

Adam Swandi
Adam bin Swandi (born 12 January 1996) is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Malaysia Super League club Penang and the Singapore national team.
Beginnings and breakthrough
Youth career
Adam won the Dollah Kassim award in 2011 which got him a overseas training stints with English Premier League side, Newcastle United Academy
In 2011, during the 23rd edition of the Lion City Cup in Singapore, Adam captained the NFA Under-15 team to 3rd place with victories over Newcastle U-15 and Juventus U-15. Adam then competed at the 2011 AFF U-16 Youth Championship, with the Singapore Under-15 team where they finished 4th, winning the tournament's Fair Play Award as Adam scored 5 goals to finish as top goalscorer. A year later in 2012, Adam and the Singapore Under-16 team finished in 2nd place with wins over Ajax U-15 and Vasco da Gama U-15, and a draw with Porto U-15, before losing eventual to champions Ajax U-15 in the final. Adam subsequently won the Singapore Under-16 Most Valuable Player award. Domestically, the Singapore Under-16 team won the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) U18 COE league with Adam winning the Most Valuable Player award.
In March 2012, Adam was chosen along with Muhaimin Suhaimi and four other students at the Singapore Sports School to undergo a ten-day training camp with the youth team of J.League club, Albirex Niigata. Adam was the only one called back for a longer training session in August the same year as their U-18 head coach, Nobuhiro Ueno was reportedly impressed by his control and one-touch passing, saying it was better than some of the players at the club's academy.
Club career
FC Metz
On 23 February 2013, Adam signed a two-year contract with Ligue 2 club, FC Metz, joining their Under-19 set-up in the Championnat National youth competitions. He had impressed the staff and coaches during his 10-day stint at Metz following his 45-day European tour which includes training spells at illustrious clubs such as Newcastle United, Chelsea and Atlético Madrid. Despite offers of a one-year contract from Spanish club Atlético Madrid and Dutch club AFC Ajax, Adam chose to sign for FC Metz as he liked what he saw and experienced, and was impressed with the quality of its renowned youth academy. The FAS provided financial assistance to the tune of S$200,000 from its Football Development Fund for Adam's education in France. During his time at Atletico Madrid, Adam had impressed the club CEO, Miguel Ángel Gil Marín in which he would be keen to nurture Adam and would consider signing him to the youth academy however with the mandatory National Service, Gil Marín has decided not to sign the teenager.
Young Lions
Adam Swandi was nominally included in the 24-man Courts Young Lions squad which travelled to Turkey for a series of friendly matches in January 2014. Adam signed for Courts Young Lions for the 2015 S.League season. Adam scored his first career professional goal in a S.League match in a 1–2 defeat to Warriors FC.
Home United
Adam moved to Home United for the 2017 S.League season after leaving the Young Lions. He made his debut for Home United in the first leg of the 2017 AFC Cup qualifying match against Cambodian side, Phnom Penh Crown in which he scored his first competitive goal in the second leg, helping his team advance into the group stage. Coincidentally, his second goal came in Home United final game of the 2017 AFC Cup group stage, the last goal in a 4–1 routing of Myanmar club, Yadanarbon, sending his team into the Zonal semi-finals. In total, Adam made 30 appearances in all competitions in his first season with the Protectors, scoring 7 goals and making 2 assists.
Albirex Niigata Singapore
On 8 January 2018, Adam was announced by Albirex Niigata (S) that they have signed him for the inaugural 2018 Singapore Premier League season. He will be the first Singaporean player to play for the club and will be joined by local goalkeeper, Shahul Rayyan after he completes his National Service. Adam made his debut for Albirex in a 2–1 win in the 2018 Singapore Community Shield against Tampines Rovers. Adam ended his first season with the White Swans with 3 winners medal, helping his club sweep all domestic trophies on offer. He was rewarded for his effort and named as the Young Player of the Season.
Home United (Now known as Lion City Sailors)
After a season with Albirex Niigata (S), Adam decided to rejoin Home United for the 2019 Singapore Premier League season due to the lure of continental football and started in all of the first 12 games of the season for the Protectors and has already equalised his tally of 3 league goals of last season.
After a splendid performance for the national team against Solomon Islands, On 25 June 2023, Adam pulled on a masterclass performance against Hougang United with 2 goals and 1 assist with nearly scoring a hat-trick at the very last minute of the match.
International career
In May 2013, Adam was called up by the new Singapore coach, Bernd Stange for the friendlies against Myanmar and Laos.
Adam made his first international appearance aged 17 years and 143 days when he came on as a second-half substitute in place of Indra Sahdan in the friendly against Myanmar on 4 June 2013. His first start came against Laos on 11 October 2013.
Adam earned his first recall into the national team in September 2015 in head coach Bernd Stange's 23-strong Singapore squad to take on Syria in their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifications but failed to make an appearance. As of December 2017, he remains capped only 5 times for the senior national team. He finally earned his sixth cap in a 13-minute cameo during Singapore's 1–0 win over Indonesia in the 2018 AFF Championship a year later.
On 14 December 2021, Adam scored his first international goal in the 2020 AFF Championship against Timor-Leste.
Personal life
Adam was born to father Swandi Kitto and mother Hamidah Dasuki in 1996. His father was a former Singapore international striker in the 1980s. He started training under former Singapore goalkeeper Yaacob Hashim at the age of 4 with boys older than him.
Adam graduated from the Singapore Sports School in 2010.
Career statistics
International caps
International goals
Scores and results list Singapore's goal tally first.
U16 International caps
U16 International goals
Scores and results list Singapore's goal tally first.
Honours
Club
Albirex Niigata (S)
Singapore Premier League: 2018
Singapore Cup: 2018
Singapore Community Shield: 2018
Lion City Sailors
Singapore Premier League: 2021
Singapore Community Shield: 2019, 2022
Individual
Dollah Kassim Award recipients : 2010
Singapore Premier League Young Player of the Season: 2018
Singapore Premier League Team of the Year: 2018
References
1996 births
Living people
Singaporean men's footballers
Singapore men's international footballers
FC Metz players
Singaporean expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's footballers in France
Singaporean people of Malay descent
Men's association football forwards
Men's association football midfielders
Footballers at the 2014 Asian Games
Competitors at the 2017 SEA Games
Asian Games competitors for Singapore
Lion City Sailors FC players
SEA Games competitors for Singapore