Saifullah Akbar
Muhammad Saifullah bin Mohammad Akbar (born January 31, 1999) is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors and the Singapore national team. Youth and early life. At the age of six, he started playing football and quickly gained entry into the then called Five Star Football Academy. Club career. Touted as a prospective football player and one to watch for Singapore, he participated in the Lion City Cup with Ikhsan Fandi playing for the NFA U-16. Trialing with Newcastle Jets FC in 2015, their assistant coach indicated  that they were interested in a youth team deal with the youngster. However, he couldn't transfer there as FIFA rules prohibit players under 18 from joining a club abroad unless their parents reside and work in that country. Previously, he had a training stint with QPR along with three other Singaporean teenagers that lasted for five days. Also, he had a two-week stint at Metz, funded by the Singapore Sport School. On his first-team debut, he scored a goal to secure a 6-4 win over Hougang United FC in the Singapore League Cup. After training daily  with the Tampines Rovers first team throughout the 2015 S.League season, he joined their Prime League squad with the aim of making the Singapore roster for the biannual 2017 SEA Games. He joined Young Lions FC after his national service and played the out the remainder of the 2018 campaign. While on trial at CD Tenerife, he did enough to be offered a contract with the club's B team, he however chose to remain with Young Lions for the 2019 Singapore Premier League season due to developmental reasons. Saifullah became a key member of the Young Lions squad that  season, featuring regularly at the right wing position under Coach Fandi Ahmad. International career. He represented Singapore in the 2013 Asian Youth Games staged in the provincial city of Nanjing. In 2016, he was called up for the Singapore U19 team facing the Bahrain U19 selection. On 17 May 2021, Saifullah Akbar got the national team call-up by head coach Tatsuma Yoshida for the remaining Asian World Cup qualifiers in June. Fast forward to 3 June, Saifullah made his first-ever national team debut against Palestine by coming on as a substitution for Hafiz Nor in the 65th minute . Personal life. Saifullah's father is Akbar Nawas who helped him volunteer for early national service enlistment. As a hobby, he plays guitar and sings and supports Chelsea. Honours. International. Singapore U22