Ahmad Fauzi Saari

Ahmad Fauzi Saari grew up in Ladang Anak Kulim, where his father was a supervisor (Malay: mandor) and her mother used to ease their financial burden by tapping rubber there. He started playing football since he was a schoolboy, often with his multi-racial friends at the estate. In age of 16, his non-stop running style and talent in football was then discovered by teachers at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Serdang (a secondary school in Serdang, Kedah).

In 2004, his ability to cover acres of space, no doubt due to his running around during his estate days, was discovered by Allan Harris. The Englishman, who helmed the Malaysia national football team from 2000 to 2004, quickly roped him in as an all-action man for the pre-Olympic campaign. Fauzi played in one match – in the 4–1 defeat to Iran on 3 March 2004. It was an unforgettable moment for the slightly-built player, because he remembered being outplayed by the physically superior Iranians. That remains to this day Fauzi's only appearance in the national jersey. That has not dampened his spirits. He recalled his first cap for Malaysia during an interview in 2006:

I found out the hard way the standard between the national league and the Asian level. The gap is worlds apart. That was the only time I was called for duty. Maybe the selectors thought I did not have the physique to survive the modern game.

[1] During the 2007 AFC Asian Cup campaign, Fauzi was called by head coach Norizan Bakar to represent the country. Although he was part of the squad that thrash by China, Uzbekistan and Iran, he did not selected to play any single match on the tournament.