'Reborn' Izwan Mahbud Seizing his Second Chance in the Sun

It seems like he could easily be talking about his football journey as well, as he is finally starting to see some progress after enduring one of the toughest periods in his up-and-down career.

Making a return to the national team after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his left knee in 2022 took him out of the game for almost a year, the 34-year-old is in line to play in his first international match since a 3-0 World Cup qualifying defeat by Saudi Arabia in June 2021.

Ahead of Singapore’s Oct 11 friendly against Tokyo Verdy, he told The Straits Times: “Being back in the national team after so long, it feels like I’m reborn after the biggest injury in my career.”

As he looks to impress national coach Tsutomu Ogura in the build-up towards the Dec 8-Jan 5 Asean Football Federation (AFF) Championship and add to his 54 caps, Japan brings back fond memories for Izwan because it was where he reached one of the peaks of his career.

Having made his Lions debut in 2011, he went on to help Singapore win the Asean title the following year and claim the 2013 Malaysian Super League and 2015 Malaysian FA Cup with the LionsXII.

He then grabbed headlines with an inspired performance in 2015, when he produced 18 saves in the 0-0 draw against Japan in a World Cup qualifier in Saitama. That display earned him an unsuccessful trial with J2 League’s Matsumoto Yamaga, where some 100 fans and media representatives braved the chilly weather to watch him train.

The Tampines Rovers player then took a pay cut in 2017 to realise his dream of playing overseas with Nongbua Pitchaya in Thailand, where he remained until 2021, as his career went downhill following the Covid-19 pandemic.

He returned to the Singapore Premier League (SPL) to rebuild his fortunes, first with Hougang United and then with Lion City Sailors in 2022 before the devastating training ground injury.

Izwan recalled of the ACL injury: “I jumped for the ball in training, landed and heard a click. I didn’t know it was an ACL injury until I went for an MRI scan at the end of the season. By then, I had completed the Singapore Cup campaign... It was very difficult being out of the pitch for seven months.

“Physically, the injury and surgery were challenging for me to recover from, but it was also mentally draining seeing my friends play while I couldn’t move much... Luckily, I got a lot of support during my rehab process to make my comeback.”

Since his recovery, he has helped the Sailors win the 2023 Singapore Cup and in 2024, recorded four clean sheets in 11 SPL matches.

Izwan has no regrets about how his career has panned out, adding: “We can’t expect to be at the top every time because there’s always ups and downs.

“Football can be cruel – I took risks and things didn’t happen, but it’s all part of a learning experience that helps me mature. There were also highlights like my time in Japan, but that’s almost 10 years ago and I don’t dwell on the past.

“We can live only in the present and every day I feel blessed that I can still play football, make a living out of the sport, and contribute to the national team.”