Khairul Fahmi Says Age Is No Barrier as He Targets Strong Season With Melaka FC

KUALA LUMPUR, AUGUST 2026 — Former Malaysia national goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat remains confident he can continue playing professional football for several more years as he prepares for another Malaysia Super League campaign with Melaka FC.

The 37-year-old, popularly known as “Apek,” said age should not automatically determine when a goalkeeper must end his career. Instead, he believes maintaining discipline and physical conditioning is far more important for players hoping to remain competitive at an advanced age.

Khairul Fahmi pointed to international football, where goalkeepers have continued competing beyond the age of 40, as evidence that the position can offer greater career longevity when players take proper care of their fitness.

He made the remarks after Melaka FC’s new jersey launch and player introduction ceremony, held in conjunction with a dinner for the International Four-Corner Tournament for the Melaka Governor’s Cup in Ayer Keroh.

As one of the most experienced players in the squad, Khairul Fahmi is prepared to play a senior leadership role as Melaka FC enters the 2026/27 Super League season.

He expressed appreciation to the club’s management for giving him the opportunity to represent Melaka this season and said he is determined to repay that confidence by contributing both on and off the pitch.

His experience could prove particularly valuable to a squad that combines younger Malaysian players with experienced local and foreign professionals.

Khairul Fahmi has spent years competing at the highest levels of Malaysian football and previously represented the national team, giving Melaka FC an established figure capable of helping younger teammates deal with the demands of top-flight competition.

Melaka FC have set their sights on finishing among the top six teams in the Super League, although Khairul Fahmi acknowledged that achieving the target will not be straightforward.

He said the target had been established by the club management and that the players must now work collectively to make it possible.

Melaka are expected to face strong competition from established clubs and teams operating with considerably larger budgets. Despite the challenge, Khairul Fahmi said the squad intends to give its best and compete strongly against the league’s leading sides.

Khairul Fahmi has not yet decided whether Melaka FC will be the final club of his professional career.

With the new campaign yet to begin, he said it is too early to determine what will happen beyond this season and prefers to assess his future based on his performances and circumstances over the coming months.

His comments suggest retirement is not currently an immediate consideration, particularly as he believes goalkeepers can remain effective well into their 40s if they maintain the necessary fitness and discipline.

Melaka FC have retained six foreign players for the new campaign: Nigeria’s Ozor Michael Onyekachi, South Koreans Do Dong-hyun and Park Kwang-il, Ivory Coast’s Agbre Noel, Montenegro’s Argzim Redzovic and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Dino Kalesic.

The club has also added three new foreign players — Coulibaly Abdul Kader of Cambodia, Hein Htet Aung of Myanmar and Brazil’s Christian de Souza Andre — as part of preparations for the new season.

During the launch ceremony, Melaka FC also unveiled their new kits, featuring red for home matches and light blue for away fixtures.

The event was attended by Melaka Governor Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, Tunku Besar Tampin Tunku Syed Razman Ibni Almarhum Tunku Syed Idrus Al Qadri and Melaka FC owner Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad.

Melaka FC, coached by E. Elavarasan, are scheduled to begin their 2026/27 Malaysia Super League campaign away to Terengganu on August 22.

For Khairul Fahmi, the upcoming season represents another opportunity to prove that experience can remain an advantage rather than a limitation.

At 37, the veteran goalkeeper is focused not only on continuing his own career but also on helping Melaka FC meet their ambitions as the club prepares to challenge Malaysia’s leading teams.