Singapore — In a poignant goodbye one day after his 38th birthday, footballer Baihakki Khaizan announced his retirement across his Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.
“The day has come for me to officially announced that I am retiring from the sport. It’s tough but I’m glad that I am able to pick a day, putting all the pieces together and decide to move on to another chapter of my life,” the athlete wrote.
On Tuesday afternoon (Feb 1), he posted a video aptly titled “A New Beginning.”
🇸🇬 Thank You
🇲🇾 Terima Kasih
🇹🇭 ขอบคุณ
🇲🇨 Terima Kasih #Baihakki #retirement #football pic.twitter.com/0WncxHcFbl— Baihakki Khaizan (@Baihakki06) February 1, 2022
“Every journey has a beginning. For me, it began with you. Just me and you. Rain or shine, grass or concrete, though times of ease and difficulty. Me and you,” he says in the video while showing footage of himself kicking a football.
Never in my wildest dreams (did) I imagine that you would teach me the greatest lessons of my life, bring me to foreign lands, to exciting adventures, to heights of success,” the footballer added, as a montage of his career highlights played.
“But today we part. Not with sadness, but with gratitude and humbleness.”
Baihakki then went on to thank God, his family, and friends, but added, “No, this is not the end. This is a new beginning.”
In the caption to the video, the athlete wrote that he had been at a loss for words as to how to announce his retirement and that he “Broke down a few times during the studio shoot just to say the word ‘We Part’”.
He also thanked his fans “most importantly” and said that he hopes “we will cross paths again in the near future.”
The athlete has had a long career in the sport, having been part of the pioneer batch of the National Football Academy in 2000 with fellow football stars Khairul Amri, Shahril Ishak, and Hassan Sunny.
He turned professional when he joined Geylang United three years later. Baihakki was awarded Young Player of the Year award in his first S League season.
In 2004, he joined the Young Lions and became team captain.
After his stint in National Service, Baihakki played for football teams and clubs in Indonesia (Persija Jakarta, Persib Bandung, and Medan Chiefs), Malaysia (Johor Darul Takzim and Johor Darul Takzim II F.C.), Thailand (Muangthong United, Udon Thani, Trat, and PT Prachuap F.C.), as well as for Singapore (Young Lions, LionsXII, Tampines Rovers.)
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) called his international career a “distinguished” one and pointed out that Mr Baihakki helped “Singapore win the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Championship three times. Who could forget Baihakki’s goal two minutes into stoppage time against Thailand in the first leg of the 2012 final at Jalan Besar, which effectively sealed the Lions’ fourth regional crown? Baihakki would go on to score twice more for the country, taking his international tally to five, and steps down as the second-most capped player in Lions history – only two behind Daniel Bennett.”
Tributes have poured in since the footballer made his announcement.
The AIA Singapore Premier League wrote, “A Singapore legend has hung up his boots – all the best, Baihakki Khaizan!”
FAS called him “One of Singapore’s finest”.
Netizens also cheered him on.
/TISG
Read also:
Complete Guide To Retirement Planning in Singapore
How to Start Planning For Retirement in Your 20s and 30s