N Thanabalan’s mother, V Thiru Sundari, 52, said when she was watching Saturday’s match between Malaysia and Indonesia, she was nervous when the opponents frequently pressured the Malaysian defence area.
“When the goal was scored, I did not know that my son had sent the ball into the opposition’s net until several minutes later when the stadium was filled with shouts of ‘Thanabalan, Thanabalan’.
“He is not my son, he is the son of Malaysia because the goal produced was not due to his efforts alone but due to the cooperation of the whole Malaysian team,” she told Bernama during a visit at her home here yesterday.
Thanabalan’s father, S Nadarajah, played an important role in the career of the national hero, unearthing the footballer’s talent and training him from his childhood every week at the field of Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil, Sungai Gadut, near here.
Although Nadarajah will not be present at the stadium tonight for the final match, he said he would always give his undivided support to his son.
He and his family will watch Thanabalan’s performance on television at home.
Nadarajah, 56, has been paralysed from the chest downwards since April 2013 when the motorcycle he was riding to work was knocked down from behind by a car.
“I have been paralysed for five years, and my son entered into a contract with the Negeri Sembilan football team to assist me in terms of medical costs before he was loaned to Felcra FC.
“Although our son is busy with his football training, he has never neglected his family, and he is also the source of my strength.
“Thanabalan is bearing the burden of family responsibility more than I am,” he said.
Nadarajah said his eldest son had now become the head of the family and that Thanabalan was willing to commute from his training place to Seremban in order to ensure their welfare.
He said Thanabalan was now bearing all the necessary costs such as for food, electricity bills and medical fees, besides looking after his two younger siblings, Kheeteeswaran, 19 and Keerthikaa, 13.
“I believe Malaysia will win the final match against Thailand with a score of 2-1 and I don’t care who scores the goals as long as Malaysia can grab the gold medal,” he said.