Malaysia opened their FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 campaign with a 3-0 win over Bangladesh, but thoughts within the camp have already turned to a far more emotionally charged assignment: Monday’s meeting with regional rivals Indonesia.
Brazilian-born striker Bergson marked his debut with a goal, while Johor Darul Ta’zim’s Arif Aiman struck twice to complete a convincing opening-night victory for Tan Cheng Hoe’s side.
Bergson, who was naturalised to represent the Harimau Malaya, described his first outing in Malaysian colours as a satisfying one.
“I’m very happy with my debut and the goal,” he told FIFA after the match. “The team adapted quickly on the pitch and the atmosphere going into the next game is incredible. Now we’re focused on the next match, which we know will be difficult.”
Arif Aiman’s match-winning display drew particular praise from his club team-mate, who said such performances have long been the norm at Johor Darul Ta’zim.
“We’re used to seeing that. Arif is a great player,” Bergson said. “We’re lucky to have a player like him, both at JDT and with the national team.”
The 35-year-old has quickly come to appreciate the scale of the rivalry awaiting Malaysia. Drawing a comparison to South American football’s fiercest contest, he noted that the fixture carries weight well beyond the pitch.
“The next game means a lot to the people of Malaysia,” he said. “It’s similar to Brazil versus Argentina.”
Bergson revealed the significance of the fixture was impressed upon him from the moment he linked up with the national squad.
“Yes, from my first day here, everyone has told me that Malaysia versus Indonesia is a huge rivalry,” he said. “I’m happy to be part of it. Our aim is to give everything and do our very best.”
For a player at the twilight of his career, the tournament represents more than personal milestones.
“I just want to enjoy every game and every training session with my team-mates,” he said when asked about his ambitions for the competition.
Captain Dion Cools, meanwhile, viewed the victory over Bangladesh through a collective lens, stressing the importance of starting a new tournament on the front foot.
“This is a new tournament, so the first game is always important because you want to get off to a good start,” the Cerezo Osaka defender said.
He acknowledged there remains room for improvement, but believed the manner of the win gave the squad a timely lift.
“First of all, it was very important for us to score the opening goal,” he said. “I think we played well. We could have scored more, but a comfortable win like this is very good for the team and for our confidence.”
Cools made clear that the excitement of the opening triumph would not distract the side from their preparations, with physical recovery the immediate priority ahead of Monday’s showdown.
“Now we’ll focus on recovering physically and then we’ll see how things look for Monday’s game,” he said. “It’s a huge match, but we’re well aware of that and we’ll give it our best.”
