Malaysia add 4 South American players to face Vietnam in crucial Asian Cup qualifier

(From L) Four mixed players Rodrigo Holgado (Argentina), Jon Irazabal (Spain), Joao Figueiredo (Brazil) and Imanol Machuca (Argentina) appear at the Malaysian national team's training session at Bukit Jalil Stadium on June 2, 2025. Photo by MalaysiaNT

The newcomers include three players of Argentine descent, Imanol Machuca, Rodrigo Holgado, and Facundo Garcrs, as well as Brazilian Joao Figueiredo and Spaniard Jon Irazabal. All five are eligible to represent Malaysia through ancestral ties.

According to football site Transfermarkt, Machuca holds the highest market value at US$2.85 million. The 24-year-old winger, who began his professional career with Union Santa Fe in 2020, moved to Brazil's Fortaleza in 2023 and is currently on loan to Argentina's Velez Sarsfield. He has scored 15 goals in 134 professional appearances.

Holgado and Figueiredo, both strikers, bring greater experience to the squad. Holgado has scored 75 goals in 202 matches since 2017, having played in Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Colombia. Now with Colombian powerhouse America de Cali, he has netted 18 goals in 58 games, including eight goals and two assists in 22 matches this season.

Figueiredo, who currently plays for İstanbul Başaksehir in Türkiye, has scored 12 goals in 48 appearances this season. Valued at $2.4 million, the 27-year-old began his career in Brazil and has also played in Greece, Lithuania and the UAE.

In defense, Malaysia welcomed Garces and Irazabal. Garces, 25, previously played for Colon in Argentina, making 129 appearances from 2020 to 2024 before signing with La Liga side Deportivo Alaves. Since January, the 1.88m center-back has made 10 appearances in Spain's top league.

Irazabal, 28, came through Athletic Bilbao’s youth system but mostly played for lower-tier clubs in Spain before moving to Sabah FC in Azerbaijan in 2022. He has made 39 appearances and scored once this season.

The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) noted that while the players have trained with the team for several days, their official announcement was delayed due to administrative procedures.

Earlier this year, Malaysia also introduced two players of Spanish descent, Hector Hevel and Gabriel Palmero. Hevel, born in the Netherlands to a Dutch-Spanish-Malaysian family, played for ADO Den Haag, AEK Larnaca and clubs in Spain and China. He currently plays for Portimonense in Portugal.

Palmero, a 22-year-old left-back, has featured for Tenerife B in Spain's fourth tier and came up through the youth systems at Las Palmas and other Spanish clubs.

These additions join a Malaysia squad that already includes nine mixed players, such as Matthew Davies (Australia), La’Vere Corbin-Ong (Barbados), Junior Eldstal (Sweden), Quentin Cheng (China), Daniel Ting, Stuart Wilkin and Hong Wan (England), Dion Cools (Belgium), and Nooa Laine (Finland). Malaysia also has three naturalized players: Endrick and Paulo Josue (Brazil) and Romel Morales (Colombia).

Malaysia will host Vietnam at Bukit Jalil Stadium on June 10. Both teams have three points in group F, with Vietnam ahead on goal difference (+5 to Malaysia’s +2).