Inspired by the World Cup, Singapore goalkeeper sends confident message ahead of match against Vietnam

Singapore goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud (36) has made a bold statement ahead of the clash with Vietnam at the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

The recent World Cup was not only a stage for top scorers like Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland, but also a tournament that highlighted lesser-known goalkeepers who performed brilliantly.

Goalkeeper Vozinha, 40, played a crucial role in helping Cape Verde reach the knockout stage by holding Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia to draws in the group stage. Meanwhile, Eloy Room, 37, made headlines with 15 saves in Curacao's 0-0 draw against Ecuador.

Those courageous displays have inspired Singapore's number one goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud ahead of the showdown with defending champions Vietnam at the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

"Every save I watch at the World Cup inspires me," goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud said. He affirmed: "I am also happy that goalkeepers are being recognized, because I understand their sacrifices. Whether it's underdog teams or big teams like Spain with Unai Simon, who conceded only one goal in eight matches at the World Cup, all of them motivate me because our job is the same: to keep the ball out of the net."

At 36, Izwan is no stranger to outstanding performances in the national team jersey.

He was the number one goalkeeper when Singapore won their fourth Southeast Asian championship in 2012 and is famous for making 18 saves to help Singapore hold Japan to a 0-0 draw away from home in the 2015 World Cup qualifiers.

After three years of decline due to a serious knee injury that limited his playing time, Izwan has made a strong comeback, contributing to Singapore's progress through the Asian Cup qualifiers.

He also kept three clean sheets in the last five matches, and made a crucial save to prevent Cambodia from opening the scoring in Singapore's 2-1 victory on July 24.

After Vietnam started Group A with a 7-0 win over Timor-Leste on July 24, Izwan understands that he will have to work at full capacity against the hosts' very strong attack.

Striker Nguyen Xuan Son, who scored three goals against Singapore in the 2024 ASEAN Cup semifinals (Vietnam won 5-1 on aggregate), now has 12 goals in 10 appearances for the national team.

In the win over Timor-Leste in the 2026 ASEAN Cup, Nguyen Quang Hai scored one goal, naturalized striker Hendrio bagged a brace, and Nguyen Dinh Bac completed a hat-trick after being given a start due to Geovane Magno's muscle strain.

"That's positive pressure for me to perform like in any other match. Vietnam has a very strong attack, but that doesn't change my habits or mindset—it's about helping the team get three points," the Singapore goalkeeper affirmed.

Izwan continued: "This is not a story about one player. The important thing is that the whole team plays well, attacking and defending together. Vietnam has built a very good system over many years. Their world ranking and the fact that they are the reigning Southeast Asian champions speaks for itself. But every match starts at 0-0. In 90 minutes, anything can happen. Underdog teams can still spring surprises, as we saw in the World Cup."