At just 12 years old, Ahyan Abdul Rahim is already dreaming of goals on the biggest stages – and he’s well on his way.
The young striker from Singapore scored twice at the recent LGSP Intercontinental Youth Cup in Porto, Portugal, where he represented Lion City Sailors (LCS) as part of their Under-12 team – the only Asian squad in a field of 20 elite European sides.
In chilly 10 deg C conditions, against teams like SC Braga, SL Benfica and Rio Ave, Ahyan stood out – not just as a promising forward, but as a player with real grit and game-changing potential.
His crowning moment came in LCS’s opening match against Rio Ave, when he scored a dramatic winner in the final five minutes and was named man of the match.
“I saw the gap and just went for it,” he said, still beaming from the experience. “That goal meant a lot. It gave our team belief.”
Ahyan scored another crucial goal in a later fixture against SC Leixoes, helping LCS clinch a 2-1 victory.
The team ultimately won four of their seven matches and finished a respectable 12th overall. “Most of the European players were bigger and stronger,” Ahyan said. “But we didn’t let that stop us. We fought.”
Born and raised in Singapore, Ahyan’s journey began, like many local kids, kicking a ball around the void deck.
Inspired by his football-loving father, he took up the sport seriously at age six and has since progressed through local academies, including Flair Club and the Junior National Development Centre (JNDC), from where he was scouted to join LCS.
The LCS U-12 team’s head coach Hamqaamal Shah was full of praise: “Ahyan is confident, aggressive and thinks out of the box. He is skilful and likes to score goals. If he becomes more focused, he’ll be a good addition to the national team.”
Training four times a week at LCS’s Mattar base in MacPherson and competing every Sunday in the Youth Champions League, Ahyan is focused on growth.
“I want to be a striker for Singapore – and one day, play for Manchester United,” he said with quiet determination. His idols? Cristiano Ronaldo and Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.
Ahyan, a student of Oasis Primary School, recently secured a football scholarship to St Joseph’s International School, one of just six players selected this year.
Despite battling hepatitis for several months in 2023, he’s bounced back strong, and his form is peaking again.
