In a special video interview by Selangor FC yesterday, Faisal said: “I’m holding on to (Pan Gon’s) words, I’ll try to rise up and become an extraordinary player. I want to prove to Malaysia that I can’t be taken down by anything, with the help of prayers from Malaysians behind me.”

He said he had messaged Pan Gon on learning that the coach was leaving the Harimau Malaya team.

“I repeated what he told me previously (that he would wait for Faisal to return to action), and he said ‘We don’t know what lies in the future, we try to do our best, you will be the best in the future if you rise up’,” said Faisal.

Faisal delighted football fans when he made an appearance on the bench with Selangor FC for the second leg FA Cup semi-final against Terengganu FC on Saturday. Selangor won 4-1 which allowed the team to advance to the final on a 6-4 aggregate.

Faisal, 26, said continued support from his family and the spirit shown by the Selangor footballing fraternity had spurred him on.

“My current situation might not be normal but I feel I’m capable of proving again and I do want to play football for Selangor or the national team, depending on how things are later on,” he said.

“What I can say is that the support from my teammates, Malaysians and the Merah Kuning fraternity is very touching, and I will continue fighting to play football because of all of you,” the 2023 Asian Cup best goal award winner said.