Ridhuan Muhammad

Not to be confused with Muhammad Ridwan.

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Muhammad is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Muhammad Ridhuan. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.
Ridhuan Muhammad
Personal information
Full name Muhammad Ridhuan bin Muhammad
Date of birth (1984-05-06) 6 May 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth Singapore
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Right winger
Youth career
2000–2002 National Football Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003−2006 Young Lions 79 (6)
2007−2009 Tampines Rovers 77 (10)
2009−2014 Arema Malang 90 (24)
2013–2014 → Putra Samarinda (loan) 12 (0)
2014–2015 Geylang International 24 (4)
2015–2016 Tampines Rovers 5 (0)
2016–2017 Warriors 29 (5)
2018 Borneo Samarinda 10 (0)
2021 Tanjong Pagar United 4 (0)
Total 330 (49)
International career
2003−2010 Singapore 68 (3)
Managerial career
2021– Tanjong Pagar United U15
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Muhammad Ridhuan bin Muhammad (born 6 May 1984) is a Singaporean former footballer who last played as a right-back for Singapore Premier League club Tanjong Pagar United. Mainly a right-back, Ridhuan has also played as defensive-midfielder and occasionally a winger or striker when called upon.

Club career

Ridhuan started playing football at the Milo Soccer School.[1] Ridhuan was part of the pioneer batch at the National Football Academy that was set up in 2000.[1]

Young Lions

Ridhuan started his career with S.League clubs Young Lions. First catching the eye for the national U18 team with his speed and mazy dribbling skills, he joined the Young Lions for the 2003 S.League season.

Tampines Rovers

In 2007, Tampines Rovers head coach Vorawan Chitavanich offered Ridhuan to play at Tampines Rovers which he accepted.[1]

Arema Malang

In 2009, Ridhuan was in the midst of discussion with Indonesian club Persib Bandung when fellow national footballer, Noh Alam Shah, invited him to join Arema Malang.[1] Ridhuan eventually signed with Arema and spent three and a half season with Arema and helped Arema to win the 2009–10 Indonesian Super League title.[1]

Putra Samrinda (loan)

In 2003, Ridhuan also spent half a season on loan at Putra Samarinda. He was wildly popular during his time in Indonesia and was often referred to as R6, a moniker of Cristiano Ronaldo's CR7.[2] However due to a possible ban by FIFA on football activities in Indonesia,[3] Ridhuan left the club and returned to Singapore.[1]

Geylang International

With a FIFA ban looming on all Indonesian footballing activities, Ridhuan moved back to Singapore with Geylang International after his 4-year sojourn.[4]

Tampines Rovers

Following his release by Tampines Rovers at the conclusion of the 2015 S.League season, Ridhuan announced his retirement from football to forge a new career in the oil and gas industry following his failure to secure a contract.[5]

Warriors

However, the speedy winger was snapped up by Warriors just before the start of the 2016 S.League season and made his debut as a substitute in a 3–1 loss against DPMM.[6] He scored his first goal of the season in a 2–2 draw against Geylang International to rescue a point for the Warriors after coming on as a substitute.[7] He repaid the faith that the Warriors had shown him by accumulating a total of four goals and six assists in all competitions.[8] His performances for the Warriors was rewarded with a contract extension for the 2017 S.League season.[4]

Borneo Samarinda

Ridhuan planned to end his footballing career in Indonesia and signed a one month deal with Borneo Samarinda in early 2018 to participate in a tournament.[1] After his contract ended, Warriors contacted Ridhuan to sign him back to the club but was rejected by him.[1]

Tanjong Pagar United

On 13 January 2021, Tanjong Pagar United has announced that they have signed Ridhuan for the 2021 season.[9] This marks him coming out of retirement from football since 2018. On 10 October 2021, Ridhuan retired from football after a season with the Jaguars, making four appearances for the club.

Managerial career

Tanjong Pagar United Youth

On 28 December 2021, Tanjong Pagar United has announced that Ridhuan will be a part of the coaching team. He will coach the club’s U15 team.

International career

While Ridhuan did not feature much in the league, Singapore coach Radojko Avramović saw something in the talented youngster and gave him his international debut against Qatar on 19 November 2003.[1]

With midfielder Shahril Ishak, defender Baihakki Khaizan and keeper Hassan Sunny, he is part of the 'NFA Gang of Four', the quartet which has played together since their early teenage years and earned senior international honours in 2003.

He was also part of the national side that won the 2004 AFF Championship albeit only featuring in the opening game.[1] Three years later in the 2007 AFF Championship, he played a major role in the team's success in retaining the championship.

As of December 2017, Ridhuan has amassed 68 caps for Singapore.[10]

Personal life

Ridhuan went to Hong Kah Primary and Secondary School. Apart from playing football, he owns a home based barber service called 1E_Xpress. Amongst his clients was his former lions teammates Baihakki Khaizan, Khairul Amri, Noh Alam Shah and Shahril Ishak.

National team career statistics

Goals for Senior National Team

Scores and results list Nigeria's goal tally first.[11]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 15 January 2007 National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore  Laos 1–0 11–0 2007 AFF Championship
2 27 January 2007 National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore  Malaysia 1–1 1–1 (5–4 p) 2007 AFF Championship
3 24 June 2007 National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore  North Korea 1–0 2–1 Friendly

Honours

Club

Arema Malang
Warriors

International

Singapore

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "'The Arema fans always connect me with Cristiano Ronaldo' - The remarkable story of Singapore legend Ridhuan Muhammad (exclusive) | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Singapore winger Ridhuan Muhammad lands Borneo move". ESPNFC.com. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Indonesia hit by FIFA ban". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Reunited with 'Fantastic Four' duo, Ridhuan plans to keep going". FourFourTwo. 25 January 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  5. ^ hermes (12 January 2016). "Football: S-League's exodus of veterans". The Straits Times. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Warriors' Ismail Yunos targets first win against Young Lions in S.League". ESPNFC.
  7. ^ "Geylang draw again after late Warriors comeback". FourFourTwo.
  8. ^ "Reunited with 'Fantastic Four' duo, Ridhuan plans to keep going". FourFourTwo. 25 January 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  9. ^ Auto, Hermes (14 January 2021). "Football: Old heads for new-look Jaguars | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  10. ^ hermes (13 December 2017). "Mixed reaction to changes". The Straits Times. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  11. ^ "Muhammad, Ridhuan". National Football Teams. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  12. ^ "Arema is The Winner of 2009–2010 ISL" (in Indonesian). LigaIndonesia.com. 2010. Archived from the original on 29 May 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2010.