PETALING JAYA: All the Harimau Malaya players looked up to Pau Marti Vicente in his first national training at Wisma FAM yesterday.
It's noteworthy that he comes from the country that won the 2024 European championship and the Paris Olympics men's football gold.
FAM hope some of that Spanish football will rub off on the Malaysian team through senor Vicente.
Vicente, the erstwhile assistant to Kim Pan Gon, became the caretaker Harimau Malaya coach following the sudden resignation of the South Korean.
Vicente's first assignment for Malaysia will be against the Philippines in the Merdeka Tournament on Sept 4 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
"My primary focus is on the Philippines. At this moment, we cannot afford to look beyond this first match," said Vicente.
"I want our players to be driven, to strive for a starting position, and to believe in their ability to win.
"The Philippines are a strong opponent, so our concentration must be solely on this game, without distractions about what's next," he added.
The Merdeka Tournament will feature four teams: Malaysia, Philippines, Lebanon and Tajikistan.