Baddrol Bakhtiar

At 36 years old, Baddrol Bakhtiar has this physical status:

Baddrol Bin Bakhtiar (born 1 February 1988 in Sarawak) is a Malaysian professional footballer who plays for Malaysia Super League side Kedah and the Malaysia national team.

Baddrol is usually employed in the right side of the midfield role, although he has often been deployed as a left-sided midfielder.

He is also a former member of Malaysia U-23 and Malaysia U-20 squad.

He is regarded as the best player in right position in Malaysia .

Personal life

Baddrol was born in Sarawak and currently living in Ambangan Heights, Sungai Petani, Kedah. Baddrol's parents are from Negeri Sembilan, his father being a soldier in the Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM).

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Club career

Baddrol began his football career with the Kedah youth team. He also was part of the Kedah's 2006 Sukma Games team which won the silver medalist. He became the regular during the tournament. His performances during Sukma Games have attracted the interest of Kedah Football Association management. Baddrol signed his first professional contract with Kedah in November 2006 and has made his debut in the 2006-07 Malaysia Super League. Baddrol has established himself in Kedah's first team competed for his spot along with K. Soley as right winger and Khyril Muhymeen on the left side.

Nevertheless, after K. Soley left Kedah to join their local rivals, Perlis, Baddrol proved himself as one of the best young talents of the Kedah's youth system. Starting from the 2007-08 season, Baddrol became a first-team regular for Azraai Khor's squad and performed well in each match with his ability to terrorize defenders and his pace and trickery with the ball. In the 2019 season, Baddrol scored 7 goals and provided 14 assists in 39 appearances.

On 6 April 2008, Gifted Group chairman Jonathan Price fulfilled his promise to let Baddrol and his former Kedah teammate Mohd Bunyamin Umar train for two weeks with Chelsea FC at Stamford Bridge alongside their youngsters and their more senior players such as Shaun Wright-Phillips, Tal Ben Haim, Steve Sidwell and Nicolas Anelka.

In August 2011, rumors circulated that the English Premier League club, Wigan Athletic FC has offered Baddrol a trial, but this was neither denied nor confirmed by Wigan officials. The rumor would later eventually be dismissed as false.

After play with Kedah for almost 16 years, Baddrol sign for Sabah in 1 December 2021 as a free transfer at the age of 33. He made his debut on 4th April 2022 in losing home match against Negeri Sembilan, 0–1 of the 2022 Super League match.

In 10th April 2022, he scored his first goal in an only goal winning game against Sarawak United of the 2022 Super League game at the Sarawak State Stadium, Sarawak.

International career

Baddrol, alongside his teammates Abdul Hadi Abdul Hamid, Mohd Sabre Mat Abu and Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri, Muhammad Shafiq Jamal and Mohd Bunyamin Umar earned their first call-up in 2005 to the Malaysia U-20. He made his youth international match debut in AFC Youth Championship 2006 qualifying round on 12 December 2005 against Myanmar at Kuala Lumpur as Malaysia beat Myanmar 4–2. After qualifying to the final round in Bangalore, Baddrol however scored an own goal and Malaysia went down to Vietnam 1–2 in their opening match on 30 October 2006.

Baddrol was also a part of Malaysia U-19 squad for the 2007 Champions Youth Cup. His action in a match against Chelsea wooed the Chelsea coaching staff who gave him a chance to train at Stamford Bridge.

He made his full international debut against Kenya on 12 August 2009. He scored his first goal for the senior team in the match against Uzbekistan on 18 November 2009. He also part of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games winning squad and managed to score three goals, including a brace against Laos

Baddrol captained the Malaysia Olympic team and led them into winning the gold medal at the 2011 Southeast Asian Games. He also scored three goals to contribute to the second consecutive triumph.

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