KUALA LUMPUR: After years on the sidelines, Zhafri Yahya's long-awaited debut for the national team is finally within reach.
The 30-year-old midfielder has been called up to replace injured Natxo Insa for Malaysia's upcoming friendlies against Laos and India, marking his first chance to earn a cap with Harimau Malaya.
Zhafri reported to national caretaker coach Pau Marti Vicente on the first day of centralised training at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya, today.
The KL City player has been on Vicente's radar since 2022 and was initially on the standby list but will now have a chance to showcase his talent on the international stage.
His inclusion follows Insa's injury, sustained while playing for Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) in their AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) match against Ulsan Hyundai on Nov 5.
"Zhafri is a player who has been with us for a long time but never got the minutes he deserves. I feel bad about that, but I've told him many times that he's a valuable player, and any coach would want him on their team," said Vicente.
"He's always ready to step in, and now we can finally give him a chance."
Vicente has also called up Kelantan Darul Naim's Fazrul Amir Zaman to replace Selangor's Mukhairi Ajmal Mahadi, who is also injured.
"Fazrul is a player we've monitored for the last two years. We've had the chance to call him up before, but injuries forced us to be cautious. This is the right moment for him to step up," said Vicente.
With under four months to go before the 2027 AFC Asian Cup third round qualifiers, the friendlies against Laos (world No. 187) and India (No. 125) are crucial opportunities for the team to build experience and strengthen preparations.
In recent friendlies, world No. 133 Malaysia drew 1-1 with Auckland City and lost 4-0 to New Zealand.
"We have to use these matches as a reference for future improvement. Playing against quality teams is invaluable, and we must learn from those experiences as we prepare for the AFC qualifiers," said Vicente.