Malaysian newspaper: 'Ranking 138 is the lowest position in over two decades'

Malaysian newspaper reacts to the Malaysian national team falling to world ranking 138, the lowest in over 20 years following a series of penalties and defeats.

The New Straits Times (NST) reports that the national team Malaysia has dropped to position 138 on the FIFA rankings, the lowest in over two decades. This is considered an alarming milestone for "Harimau Malaya" as the team is undergoing significant turbulence.

According to NST, the 1-3 defeat against the Vietnamese national team along with related penalties directly caused Malaysia to drop three places, from position 135 to 138. However, this loss is only part of the chain of reasons leading to the Southeast Asian team's decline.

The primary cause stems from the disciplinary decision by when determining Malaysia used ineligible players in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. This ruling forced the team to annul previous results, including crucial victories.

Not limited to the continental level, FIFA also intervened and imposed strict penalties. Consequently, several matches were ruled as 3-0 defeats after the organization discovered numerous players used invalid documents to represent the national team.

NST emphasizes that Malaysia's decline began late last year, when the team fell from rank 116 to 121 due to unrecognized friendly victories. The consecutive setbacks severely impacted accumulated performance.

With continued point deductions following recent penalties and defeats, Malaysia officially fell to world ranking 138. According to NST's assessment, this is one of the most difficult periods for "Harimau Malaya," also placing significant pressure on the country's football despite previous signs of progress under coach Kim Pan Gon.