*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:06, 6 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:33, 21 March 2024 (UTC)
Earlier in his career, he played as a striker and a winger before switching to the centre-back position. In 2013, he was listed as one of Goal.com's Top 20 Southeast Asian Rising Stars.[3] In 2014, Irfan was also named as one of the top 40 best young talents in world football on The Guardian.[4][5]
Irfan began his footballing career by going through the youth system at the National Football Academy (NFA), with subsequent stints and trials at various clubs before debuting as a professional at the age of 18 at top tier Chilean Primera División side Universidad Católica in 2015.[6] Although Irfan was offered a two-year contract by the club, he rejected it to return to Singapore. For the next three years, Irfan played for local clubs the Young Lions and Home United.[A] Around this time, he went on trials with Dutch Eredivisie side Groningen and Portuguese Primeira Liga side Braga, rejecting a contract offer from the latter.
In 2018, Irfan signed for Thailand's BG Pathum United prior to the 2019 Thai League 2 season, where he was instrumental to the club's immediate promotion back to the Thai League 1 and soon after when the club become the Champions of Thailand during the 2021–22 Thai League 1 season – becoming the first Singaporean to win Thailand's top tier league trophy.[7] During their title winning season, Irfan led BG Pathum's defence with the club only losing a single game the entire season, while conceding just 11 goals in 24 matches and keeping 15 clean sheets.[8]
Irfan made his senior international debut for Singapore in 2016, with a single goal as a centre-back coming against Turkmenistan in 2017, and earning 38 caps as of 2022. He has represented his country at various international tournaments, including the 2018 and the 2020AFF Championships.
Early life and family
Irfan was born on 13 August 1997 in Singapore. Irfan is the eldest son of Singaporean footballing legend Fandi Ahmad and South African former model Wendy Jacobs. He has four siblings, younger brothers Ikhsan, who plays for BG Pathum United as well as Ilhan, who also plays for BG Pathum United and Iryan, who plays for Hougang United and the other being his sister Iman.[9] His grandfather, Ahmad Wartam, was an ex-national goalkeeper.[10]Hafiz Abu Sujad and the national team's physiotherapist Nurhafizah are the cousins of his father Fandi Ahmad.[11]
In March 2013, Irfan had an opportunity to secure his first overseas stint, which was supposed to be with Hércules, a second-tier Spanish professional club. However, he failed to secure a contract with the club due to visa issues.[12] He later joined Chilean side Barnechea, signing a two-year contract with the Chilean Primera División club.[13]
In January 2016, it was announced that Irfan signed a two-year contract for Home United for the upcoming 2016 S.League season along with his brother, Ikhsan. He scored a brace against Balestier Khalsa in only his second start of the season after being away for most of the season due to National Service commitments.[20]
On 14 March 2017, Puma was revealed to have signed Irfan on a two-year sponsorship deal. Irfan's former Chilean club, Club Deportivo Universidad Católica was also reportedly interested in re-signing him following the completion of his national service.[15]
Irfan scored his first goal in the 2017 S.League season in a 0–2 victory over Hougang United, later following up with his first at the continental level, scoring in the 24th minute against Myanmar side Yadanarbon in the 2017 AFC Cup which give his side a 3–0 lead in an eventual 4–1 win.[21] The win saw Home United become the first side to advance to the zonal semi-finals.[22] Irfan was later nominated for the S.League's 'Young Player of the Season' award.[23] His performances also drew the attention of Thailand's BG Pathum United, which he would eventually sign for, and was also offered a trial with English side Leeds United in December 2017.[24][25]
In February 2018, Irfan, together with his brother, Ikhsan, went on trials at Eredivisie club, Groningen in which his father, Fandi Ahmad who used to play for the club.[26] He also went on another trial with Portuguese top-tier side, Braga, and was later offered a two-year deal, with the club retaining the option to extend the contract by two additional years. Irfan rejected the offer, citing that he felt lonely and homesick during his brief stint with the club. He also added that the clause of having to fork out a hefty compensation of 15 million euros should he decide to leave the club during the contract was one of the other reasons that he did not accept it.[27] Irfan eventually rejoined the Young Lions and ended the season with 22 appearances with 3 goals.
BG Pathum United
On 11 November 2018, it was confirmed that Irfan would join BG Pathum United to fill up the club's ASEAN slot for the 2019 Thai League 2 season. Irfan agreed to join the Thai side despite their relegation as they had been interested in signing him for two years.[28][29] On 7 April 2019, he scored his first goal for the club which ended up to be a brace during a league match against Samut Sakhon City in a 6–1 victory. In a reverse league fixtures against the same opponent on 10 August 2019, Irfan scored another brace in a 3–0 away win. In Irfan first season, he won the Thai League 2 title which helped the club to secure promotion back to the Thai League 1.[30]
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors interest
In December 2021, South Korea's reigning champions Jeonbuk Hyundai is interested in Irfan in which BG Pathum and Jeonbuk met in the AFC Champions League in September 2021, with Irfan putting up a solid performance in the Thai side's defence. According to The Straits Times, a Jeonbuk agent had asked for Irfan's number a day after the match. Following Jeonbuk's interest, BG Pathum's chairman, Kawin Bhirombhakdi requested no less than 30 million baht (S$1.23 million) for Irfan's transfer fee but Irfan told Straits Times that he respected his club's decision, having been able to grow on and off the pitch at the club.[31][32]
Thai League 1
On 15 February 2020, Irfan was sent off in the first half of his first top-flight game in Thailand, when BG Pathum trailed Muangthong United 1–0. The club eventually won the game 2–1.[33]
The following season after winning the Thai League 2 title, Irfan became the first Singaporean to win the Thai League 1 title after his club swooped to the title having garnered an unassailable 19-point cushion over second-placed rivals Buriram United, with six games left.[8][34] Irfan was key to their triumph with the defence having only conceded just 11 goals in 24 matches, while keeping 15 clean sheets.[8]
Irfan won his fourth silverware in the form of the 2022 Thailand Champions Cup with BG Pathum in a 3–2 win over Buriram United.[35] He helped the team to finished as group leaders in the 2022 AFC Champions League which see the club qualified to the Round of 16 in which Irfan managed to keep a clean sheet in the entire game in a 4–0 win against Hong Kong club, Kitchee. The club than progressed to the quarter-finals for the first time in the history of the tournament in which they lost against eventual cup winners, Urawa Red Diamonds where Irfan played the full 90’ minute becoming the first Singaporean alongside his brother Ikhsan, to reach the AFC Champions League quarter-finals.
On 22 August 2023, Irfan played the entire 90' minute match in the 2023–24 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs against Shanghai Port at the Pudong Football Stadium in which BG Pathum won the game 3–2 thus qualifying straight to the group stage. On 10 February 2024, Irfan returned to action after a 6 months injury that forced him out since late August 2023 where he scored the equaliser in the 83rd minute of the game in a 1–1 draw against PT Prachuap. On 16 June 2024, Irfan won his fifth trophy at the club which is the 2023–24 Thai League Cup.
Port FC
After 5 seasons at BG Pathum United, Irfan signed with another Thailand club Port FC on 17 June 2024.
Irfan was selected as part of the Singapore Selection squad for The Sultan of Selangor's Cup to be held on 6 May 2017.[41] He also made his AFF Championship debut in the 2018 iteration on 9 November, with a 1–0 win over Indonesia.
Irfan received a call up to the national team for a friendly against Afghanistan and the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification matches held in Riyadh against Palestine, Uzbekistan, and Saudi Arabia along with brothers, Ikhsan and Ilhan. This was the first time all three brothers of were called up.[42]
On 25 December 2021, in the second leg of the 2020 AFF Championshipsemi-final match against Indonesia, Irfan was controversially sent off in the 67th minute after tackling down Irfan Jaya for allegedly denying a goalscoring opportunity.[43]
On 26 March 2022, against Malaysia, Irfan played alongside his younger brothers Ikhsan and Ilhan. It was the first time that the three Fandi brothers played in the same match for the national team together. It was also the first time in Singapore's history to have three brothers playing for the national team.[44] The Singapore team won 2–1 thanks to a brace from his younger brother Ikhsan.[45]
On 27 December 2022 of matchday 3 in the 2022 AFF Championship group stage, he scored his 2nd goal for Singapore against Laos with a diving header.
Irfan, along with his brother Ikhsan, served their National Service (NS) obligations for the Singapore Police Force (SPF) while Ikhsan served in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) from 2016 to 2018. During their stint, they had continued to play and train professional football under the Sportsmen Scheme by the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) that gives special dispensation for local athletes with flexible timetables for sports events – including representing Singapore at international competitions.[47][48]
