PETALING JAYA: National winger Arif Aiman Hanapi’s time in Spain during the pre-season has prepared him to take on bigger responsibilities ahead of the new season. The 23-year-old, who was captain of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) during the team’s pre-season stint in Spain, said the time abroad has further motivated him ahead of the Super League season starting next month. "I’m honoured by the trust placed in me. Rather than taking it as pressure, I saw it as an opportunity for me to prove myself both as a player and leader," said Arif after being announced as sportswear brand Puma's newest ambassador yesterday.

"I learned a lot from that experience." Arif said there is no rivalry between local-born and heritage players in the national squad. "The presence of heritage players has been a big help to the team from time to time," he said. Arif also said the players are fully focused on preparing for September's friendlies against Singapore and Palestine, and declined to comment on Malaysia's withdrawal from the 2025 CAFA Nations Cup.

"It doesn’t affect me, I’m just focused on what lies ahead. Preparation is important, even in a friendly game. We need to be fully prepared for our next matches regardless of who we play," he said. The Harimau Malaya will play friendly matches against Singapore on Sept 4 and Palestine on Sept 8.