PETALING JAYA: Legendary Malaysian goal machine Zainal Abidin Hassan has been listed by Globe Soccer Awards as one of international football’s top 10 deadliest strikers.
Zainal , who scored 78 goals in 138 appearances for Harimau Malaya, is seventh on the list, just one spot above Brazil great Pele.
As a player, the forward known for his physical prowess had a trophy-laden career playing for Selangor and Pahang, winning four Malaysia Cups, three league titles and two FA Cups.
Zainal, 57, retired from playing in 1999 and continued his winning ways as a coach by leading Pahang to two FA Cups and one Malaysia Cup.
He is currently coaching Melaka United in the Super League.
Globe Soccer Awards is an annual award show recognising excellence in world football. It is organised by the European Association of Player’s Agents and the European Club Association.
FULL LIST
- Ali Daei (Iran): 109 goals
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): 99 goals
- Ferenc Puskas (Hungary): 84 goals
- Kunishige Kamamoto (Japan): 80 goals
- Godfrey Chitalu (Zambia): 79 goals
- Hussein Saeed (Iraq): 78 goals
- Zainal Abidin Hassan (Malaysia): 78 goals
- Pele (Brazil): 77 goals
- Bashar Abdullah (Kuwait): 75 goals
- Sunil Chhetri (India): 72 goals