KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) winger Arif Aiman Hanapi has stolen the limelight in the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE), even overshadowing Cristiano Ronaldo of Al Nassr.
His standout performance underlined a pressing need for a stronger focus on youth development in Malaysian football.
Sports analyst Datuk Richard Scully stressed the importance of the country's league system and football ecosystem in nurturing young talent like Arif.
Richard pointed out that a strong senior team begin with a solid foundation of junior players.
"The performances of junior players directly impact the senior team. If our juniors don't perform, we won't have a senior team."
"FAM is making strides in strengthening the national Under-15 and Under-16 leagues next year."
He said that these leagues must be complemented with high-quality tournaments to develop players capable of competing at international level such as the Junior World Cup.
Arif's rise is a perfect example of how the right environment can nurture young talent.
Richard said though Arif initially did not meet the high expectations, exposure to competitive environments has been key to his improvement.
Richard said that even the most naturally gifted players need the right support to perform at their best. Fortunately for Arif, he has had the benefit of playing alongside calibre players who know how to bring out the best in him.
"Arif's success serves as an eye-opener for others. When you have the best people around you, it pushes you to perform at your best," said Richard.
Arif has been dubbed a "wonderboy" by the Asian Football Confederation following his brilliant display against South Korean giants Ulsan Hyundai in an ACLE match on Tuesday.
Arif, 22, opened the scoring in the eighth minute at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, pouncing on an Ulsan defensive lapse. This paved the way for JDT's 3-0 upset win over the K-League champions.
That goal moved Arif to second place in the ACLE's top scorers chart with four goals, just two behind Gwangju FC's Jasir Asani, who has six.
In the ACLE, Arif has even outshone global icons Riyad Mahrez (three goals), Ronaldo (two goals), and Roberto Firmino (two goals).