After Dion Cools, whose father is Belgian and mother Malaysian, was picked as the latest addition for Harimau Malaya, FAM president Hamidin Amin said the body hopes more qualified foreign-based players could join the national team.

However, Hamidin said the players must first prove they can contribute to the team.

“FAM hope there are still more players, maybe like (US-based) Wan Kuzain (Wan Kamal) who tweeted his interest (to join the national squad), we also communicated with him last year.

“We are ready to give quality players the opportunity to impress the national coach,” he said in a video uploaded on FAM’s official Facebook page today.

Yesterday, 24-year-old Cools brought cheer to local football fans when he was announced as the 26th Harimau Malaya player for the remaining Group G matches in the second round of the 2022 World Cup/2023 Asian Cup qualifiers in the UAE tomorrow.

Cools, who plays for FC Midtjylland in the Danish League, also has experience playing in the Uefa Champions League and will play in three tough games for Malaysia against the UAE tomorrow, Vietnam (June 11) and Thailand (June 15) in the qualifying campaign.

Meanwhile, Hamidin also extended his appreciation to former FAM president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim for his role in bringing Cools into the national team.

“TMJ (Tengku Mahkota Johor) informed me two months ago he had talked to Dion and convinced him to play for Harimau Malaya. FAM are thankful to TMJ,” said Hamidin.

Head coach Tan Cheng Hoe has listed 16 local players, seven mixed-heritage players and three naturalised players in the country’s mission to qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup finals.