Latest news with #EndrickdosSantos
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Dos Santos speaks the Harimau language
KUALA LUMPUR: Before instructions get lost in translation or the ball gets lost in transition, national footballer Endrick dos Santos is doing his part in helping the disparate Harimau Malaya team get going. While local TV commentators are still trying to get used to remembering or pronouncing the plethora of foreign-sounding names, fans must be wondering about communication among players and coaches on the field. In this aspect, the Brazil-born dos Santos believes he can help members of the newly assembled Malaysia team connect and click with one another. Fluent in English, Spanish, and increasingly proficient in Bahasa Malaysia, dos Santos plays a really important role. He is the go-to translator, the cultural bridge between East and West, the unifying voice in the rojak-like national team that aim to turn incoherence into cohesion. As Malaysia face Vietnam in a crucial Asian Cup qualifier on Tuesday, the national players, cobbled from all corners of the world, are brushing up on team work, learning and understanding each other's style and rhythm. Recently, the national team announced the inclusion of five more foreign-born heritage players: Rodrigo Holgado (Argentina), Imanol Machuca (Argentina), Facundo Garces (Argentina), Jon Irazabal (Spain) and Joao Figueiredo (Brazil), The naturalised dos Santos, who has donned Harimau Malaya colours since 2023. said: "It's a little difficult for them to communicate, but the others and I speak a little English, Spanish, and Malay. So, we try to help each other, to pass on to them whatever is important. "We try to communicate during every training session. I try to help my teammates adapt faster." But ultimately, fans around the world like to speak only one language — the language of winning.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Dos Santos aims to help Malaysia break Vietnam jinx with 'inside knowledge'
KUALA LUMPUR: A Brazilian-born footballer playing in Ho Chi Minh City, could help Malaysia beat Vietnam in an Asian Cup qualifier on June 10 at Bukit Jalil. Endrick dos Santos, currently on loan from JDT to Ho Chi Minh City FC, believes his "inside knowledge" of Vietnamese football could give Malaysia the edge. The midfielder has spent the past year playing in the 1, where many of Vietnam's national players also ply their trade. Dos Santos said in Kuala Lumpur today that he has studied the Golden Star Warriors' strengths and weaknesses. And he has held discussions with his national teammates and Harimau Malaya analysts. "They are fast, strong and aggressive, but they also have weaknesses. But I believe we should be in a good position again," he said. Dos Santos, 30, revealed light-heartedly that even the Ho Chi Minh City coach (Phung Thanh Phuong) and the team's players told him to put on a big performance for Malaysia against Vietnam. Malaysia have not beaten Vietnam in over a decade, but Dos Santos is confident that the tide is turning. "I trust the guys, we are 100 per cent in a good way. It should be a good game. We know the opponents are strong, but we have stepped up," he said. Dos Santos believes that playing in the Vietnamese league has given him valuable insight into their national team's playing philosophy and style. He praised the strong team spirit and adaptability among the Malaysia players, especially with the arrival of new faces into the squad.
