Malaysia all time top scorer: The legend who surpassed Puskas and earned a Guinness World Record

Malaysia football has shown notable progress in recent years. The national federation has made efforts to strengthen the squad by opening the door to players of Malaysian heritage to represent the country, although the policy has also brought certain questions and challenges related to FIFA regulations.

However, long before this approach became common, Malaysia had already produced a remarkable goalscorer who was born and raised in the country. This homegrown talent still stands at the top of the national team’s scoring chart today.

In this article, Nowgoalmobi.net looks at the Malaysia all time top scorer and presents the full list of the country’s top 10 international goal scorers.

Top 10 Malaysia all time top scorers

10. Wong Choon Wah - 20 goals

Wong Choon Wah opens the list with 20 goals in 88 appearances for the national team. The midfielder is widely remembered as one of Malaysia’s most talented and elegant players, playing a key role during the country’s football golden era in the 1970s. He was also among the earliest Malaysian footballers to demonstrate that players from Southeast Asia could compete successfully in overseas professional leagues, particularly in Hong Kong.

9. Thanabalan Nadarajah - 20 goals

Thanabalan Nadarajah scored the same number of goals as Wong Choon Wah, reaching 20 international goals in just 46 appearances. Despite not being the tallest player on the field, he was well known for his impressive leap and his ability to score with headers. Nadarajah was also an important part of the Malaysian squad that won the gold medal at the 1961 and 1969 Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games.

8. Safawi Rasid - 22 goals

Safawi Rasid is the only active player on the list. The 29 year old winger has scored 22 goals in 71 appearances for the Malaysian national team and is currently playing for Kuala Lumpur City FC on loan from Johor Darul Ta'zim. Known for his pace and his powerful left foot, Safawi also had a spell in Europe when he joined Portimonense SC in Portugal’s Primeira Liga on loan in 2020. At the domestic level, he has been recognized with multiple individual honors, including two FAM Most Valuable Player awards and several Best Forward titles.

7. Safee Sali - 23 goals

Safee Sali is widely regarded as Malaysia’s most accomplished striker of the 21st century. He played a decisive role in the country’s historic triumph at the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup, which remains Malaysia’s only AFF Championship title to date. Safee finished the tournament as the top scorer with five goals, a performance that cemented his status as one of the nation’s modern football icons.

6. James Wong - 23 goals

Another figure from Malaysia’s football golden era is James Wong, widely known as “King James.” The striker was a dominant attacking presence during the 1970s and 1980s, recognized for his height and physical strength. One of the most memorable moments of his international career came in the final qualifying match for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, when he scored the decisive goal in Malaysia’s 2-1 victory over South Korea at Stadium Merdeka.

5. Dollah Salleh - 33 goals

Dollah Salleh is the first name to appear in the top five and remains a highly respected figure in Malaysian football from the late 1980s to the 1990s. He was widely known for his excellent understanding on the pitch with Zainal Abidin Hassan, forming one of the country’s most memorable attacking partnerships. During his playing career, Dollah helped Malaysia win the gold medal at the 1989 SEA Games. He later returned as national team head coach and guided Malaysia to the final of the 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup.

4. Shaharuddin Abdullah - 39 goals

Shaharuddin Abdullah was one of the standout figures of Malaysia’s football golden era in the 1960s and 1970s, representing the national team from 1967 to 1974. He also came from a well known footballing family, as his brother Namat Abdullah was a legendary defender and former captain of the national side. Shaharuddin was part of the historic Malaysian team that qualified for and competed at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

3. Isa Bakar - 45 goals

Isa Bakar represented the Malaysian national team between 1974 and 1981 and was also regarded as an iconic figure at Penang FA. During his international career, he scored 45 goals in 69 official “A” matches recognized by FIFA. With the highest scoring rate among the players on this list, Isa Bakar is remembered as one of the most efficient forwards in the history of the Harimau Malaya.

2. Zainal Abidin Hassan - 50 goals

Together with Dollah Salleh, Zainal Abidin Hassan formed the famous “Twin Towers” partnership, widely regarded as one of the most effective strike duos in Malaysia League history. He was part of the Malaysian team that won the gold medal at the 1989 SEA Games and enjoyed a highly successful club career. Over the years, he collected multiple domestic honors, including the Malaysia Cup, league titles, and the FA Cup while playing for both Selangor and Pahang.

1. Mokhtar Dahari - 89 goals

Mokhtar Dahari, famously known as “SuperMokh,” is widely regarded as one of the greatest international goal scorers in football history. The legendary striker netted 89 goals in 142 appearances for Malaysia, a remarkable record that stood for 24 years from 27 October 1980 until it was eventually surpassed by Ali Daei in 2004. Before that, Mokhtar himself had broken the long standing international scoring record previously held by Ferenc Puskás since 1956. He also holds a Guinness World Record as the youngest player to reach 50 international goals, achieving the milestone at the age of 22 years and 273 days against India in 1976.

While global stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominate modern football and attract millions of fans worldwide, many Malaysians still regard the late Mokhtar Dahari as the greatest player the country has ever produced. For them, “SuperMokh” remains the true GOAT of Malaysian football.

Top 10 Malaysia all time top scorers

Mokhtar Dahari - 89 goals

Zainal Abidin Hassan - 50 goals

Isa Bakar - 45 goals

Shaharuddin Abdullah - 39 goals

Dollah Salleh - 33 goals

James Wong - 23 goals

Safee Sali - 23 goals

Safawi Rasid - 22 goals

Thanabalan Nadarajah - 20 goals

Wong Choon Wah - 20 goals

Nowgoalmobi has listed the Top 10 Malaysia all time top scorers.

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