“Man of the Match” Menjadi Raja Sehari 

Minggu lalu, Arif Aiman ​​kembali ke arena bola sepak Malaysia dan bukan sahaja berjaya menjaringkan gol, tetapi juga dinobatkan Pemain Terbaik perlawanan akhir Piala Malaysia 2025-26. Dua hari kemudian, beliau selamat bernikah.  

Tahukah anda bahawa pada tahun 1968, Dato’ N. Thanabalan digelar suami sehari selepas Malaysia menjuarai Pestabola Merdeka?

Penyerang legenda tersebut menjaringkan lapan gol dalam enam perlawanan sepanjang kejohanan, termasuk perlawanan akhir di mana Malaysia menentang Burma. Sudah tujuh tahun sejak kali terakhir Malaysia mara ke final Pestabola Merdeka dan lapan tahun sejak mereka menjulang trofi yang diidamkan.

Burma merupakan juara edisi 1967 (berkongsi dengan Korea Selatan). Sebelum perlawanan akhir, kedua-dua pasukan bertemu pada peringkat kumpulan, di mana perlawanan berakhir dengan keputusan seri 1-1.

Pada peringkat separuh akhir, Burma menewaskan Indonesia 2-1 manakala Malaysia menewaskan Australia Barat 4-3. Thanabalan berjaya menjaringkan gol kemenangan Malaysia selepas bola melantun melepasi pemain pertahanan tengah Australia dan mendarat di kakinya.

Setelah seri tanpa jaringan di separuh masa, Malaysia menjaringkan gol pertama mereka hasil tandukan Zulkifli Norbit pada minit ke-53. Shaharuddin Abdullah memberikan Malaysia gol kedua pada minit ke-64 dan N. Thanabalan memastikan kemenangan mereka dengan gol ketiga empat minit kemudian.

Ia merupakan kemenangan peribadi bagi Thanabalan kerana beliau juga dinamakan Pemain Terbaik perlawanan. Bagi beliau, sambutan bermula pada malam itu apabila Malaysia dinobatkan sebagai juara Piala Merdeka dan diteruskan pada keesokan harinya, dengan sambutan perkahwinan yang meriah apabila beliau berkahwin dengan A. Jayaletchumy, seorang guru sekolah rendah. 

Pasangan tersebut mengadakan majlis ikatan perkahwinan di sebuah kuil Hindu sebelum majlis makan malam resepsi, di mana pengurus pasukan Harimau Malaya, Dato’ Harun Idris turut hadir untuk meraikan serta menyampaikan ucapan kepada pasangan pengantin baharu itu.

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Man of the Match turns King for a Day

Last week, Arif Aiman made his comeback to the Malaysian football scene not only scoring a goal in the process, but was also named Man of the Match at the 2025-26 Malaysia Cup final. Two days later, he was to be married. 

Did you know that back in 1968, Dato’ N. Thanabalan got married a day after Malaysia won the Merdeka Tournament? 

The legendary striker scored a total of eight goals in six matches throughout the tournament, including the final match where Malaysia were up against Burma. It had been seven years since Malaysia reached the Merdeka Tournament final and eight since they lifted up the coveted trophy. 

Burma arrived at the finals as defending champions of the 1967 edition (shared with South Korea). The two teams had previously met during the group stage where the match ended in a 1-1 draw. 

In the semi-finals, Burma beat Indonesia 2-1 while Malaysia defeated Western Australia 4-3. It was Thanabalan who scored Malaysia’s winning goal after the ball bounced over an Australian centre-back and landed at his feet. 

After a scoreless first half, Malaysia scored their first goal with a header by Zulkifli Norbit in the 53rd minute. Shaharuddin Abdullah gave Malaysia their second goal in the 64th minute and N. Thanabalan brought it home with the third goal four minutes later. 

It was a personal victory for Thanabalan as he was also named Man of the Match. Celebrations for him began that night as Malaysia were crowned Merdeka Cup champions and continued the next day, with wedding celebrations in full swing with his partner, A. Jeyaletchumy, a primary school teacher. 

The couple tied the knot in a simple ceremony at a local Hindu temple before a reception dinner, where Harimau Malaya team manager Dato’ Harun Idris was in attendance as well as delivering a speech to the newlyweds.