Mixed-heritage Malaysian midfielder Francisco Javier Insa Bohigues, or better known as Kiko Insa, has received his first Malaysia call-up, for the series of three friendly matches that the Malayan Tigers will participate in.
Malaysia are planned to play in friendly matches against Syria in Melaka on August 22, Macau on August 25 in Macau, and Myanmar on August 29 in Yangon. On September 5 they will then play Hong Kong in their second 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers group match, again in Melaka. The training camp will begin on August 14.
Insa, who reportedly has Malaysian heritage from his grandmother’s side, has been linked with the Malaysia national team ever since he received his Malaysian passport and joined Pahang at the start of the 2017 season.
But his brother, former Levante midfielder Ignacio ‘Natxo’ Insa Bohigues who joined rivals JDT in the recent mid-season transfer window and has also received his Malaysian citizenship, has not been called up by Malaysia head coach Nelo Vingada.
Among the other notable inclusions in the 24-man call-up list is 23-year old forward Shahrel Fikri Fauzi, who plays for PKNP FC in the Premier League. Shahrel is the current top-scorer among local players in the second tier, and the first player from the Premier League to receive a Malaysia call-up since Zaquan Adha Abdul Radzak (then with JDT II) in the 2016 AFF Championship last December.
JDT forward Darren Lok too returns to the fray, following a long injury spell picked up in the pre-season.
Darren Lok (left). Photo by Asiana.
The full training camp call-up list are as follows:
