Young Lions FC

Goal

By entering the Young Lions into the S.League, the FAS hopes to expose young players to top-level competition, thus helping to prepare them for international tournaments such as the Southeast Asian Games. While the bulk of the Young Lions squad is made up of members of Singapore's national under-23 team, the club also takes in promising young foreign players (e.g. Luka Savić). However, foreign players are normally only recruited into the Young Lions squad if they could potentially change their nationality to Singaporean and be eligible to play international football for Singapore at some point in the future.

In 2023, Young Lions signed both Japanese duo Jun Kobayashi and Kan Kobayashi from Albirex Niigata (S) who became the foreign players playing for the club for the first time since signing France national, Benjamin Bertrand from Ligue 2 club, Tours in 2016. In preparation for the upcoming 2024–25 Singapore Premier League season, Young Lions signed an additional two more Japanese players, Kaisei Ogawa and Itsuki Enomoto and also signing Australian national Rashid Hayek from Western United making it the first time the club has five foreigners registered in the squad.

Malaysian domestic competition

In 2011, the Football Association of Singapore and the Football Association of Malaysia reached an agreement that would see greater cooperation between the two nations. One of the intended avenues will see Young Lions play in the Malaysian Super League and Malaysia Cup from 2012 onwards, the first time a Singaporean team has participated in Malaysian domestic football since Singapore won the 1994 M-League and Malaysia Cup double. Although the new Singapore team will have the existing Young Lions set up at its core, the squad will be permitted up to five local players over the age of 14–16 players, as well as a number of overseas players in accordance with the quota set out by the rules of the Malaysian competitions the team will play in.^[1]

Ultimately though, a new team was created for the Malaysia league: the LionsXII, while Young Lions remained in the S.League.

National Football Academy

Most of the Young Lions players come from the NFA (National Football Academy) and new players (from the NFA) will be promoted to the Young Lions squad every season.

The National Football Academy enters both the Singapore NFA U-17 and Singapore NFA U-18 teams into the Prime League to allow their players to gain more exposure and match experience by playing against older and more established players.^[2]

Young Lions had played at the Jalan Besar Stadium since their inception of participating in the S.League. The stadium can holds up a seating capacity of 6,000. In 2012, As part of the LionsXII's sponsorship by Kingsmen, a local fan club, the King George's Stand was built using a removable stand, increasing the stadium's capacity to 8,000.

On 30 October 2012, an LED scoreboard was implemented at the Gallery stand to provide better quality video to the spectators, allowing replay video highlights of the action on the field during matchdays. Two new screens were also placed at the two ends of the Grandstand, North and South, to enable better match experience for the Gallery fans.

As of 24 February 2024^[5]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
25	GK	SGP	Firman Nabil
26	DF	SGP	Nur Adam Abdullah
32	GK	SGP	Umayr Sujuandy
33	MF	SGP	Ethan Pinto
35	MF	SGP	Nyqil Iyyan
37	DF	AUS	Rashid Hayek
38	FW	SGP	Samuel Pillai
39	DF	SGP	Izz Anaqi
40	DF	SGP	Haziq Riduan
42	FW	SGP	Khairin Nadim
55	MF	SGP	Jonan Tan
—	GK	SGP	Aizil Yazid
—	DF	SGP	Ngang Haang Wong
—	MF	SGP	Rasul Ramli
—	MF	SGP	Iman Hakim
—	DF	SGP	Syafi'i Hilman
—	MF	SGP	Syady Sufwan
—	MF	SGP	Garv Sahoo

Players on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Position	Name
Team Manager	Sakthi Vel Ganesan
Head coach	Nazri Nasir
Assistant coach	Fadzuhasny Juraimi Afiq Yahya
Goalkeeper coach	Ahmadulhaq Che Omar
Fitness coach	Donald Wan
Physiotherapist	Alex Poon
Sports Trainer	Ryan Wang Jasmori Rasip
Equipment Officer	Omar Mohamed

Source:^[6]

• 2003 saw the introduction of penalty shoot-outs if a match ended in a draw in regular time. Winners of penalty shoot-outs gained two points instead of one.

Asia

• Craig Foster (1991)
• Li Jisheng (2006)
• Che Hao (2006)
• Guan Hongyu (2006)
• Yan Minghao (2006)
• Yang Mu (2009)
• Kim Seong-kyu (2010)
• Seo Su-jong (2010)
• Jun Kobayashi (2023)
• Kan Kobayashi (2023)

Europe

• Sirina Camara (2012)
• Jonathan Toto (2012–2013)
• Benjamin Bertrand (2016)
• Vladan Seric (2004)
• Luka Savić (2010)
• Daniel Hammond (2008)
• Benjamin Lee (2013)
• Armin Maier (2017)

Africa

• Moudourou Moise (2006–2008)
• Kazeem Babatunde (2003–2004)
• Greg Nwokolo (2005)
• Obadin Aikhena (2008–2009)

North America

• Jordan Webb (2014–2016)
• Sherif El-Masri (2012–2015)

As of 12 December 2023.

Top 10 all-time appearances

Rank	Player	Years	Club appearances
1	Afiq Yunos	2008–2013	114
2	Syahrul Sazali	2016–2019 2021–2022	101
3	Syazwan Buhari	2010–2015	87
	Amirul Adli	2011–2017
	Hariss Harun	2007–2011
	Sherif El-Masri	2012–2015
7	Faritz Abdul Hameed	2009–2012	83
8	Hami Syahin	2015–2018 2020–2021	82
9	Sheikh Abdul Hadi	2011–2015	78
10	Zulqarnaen Suzliman	2016–2019 2021–2022	76

Top 10 all-time scorers

Rank	Player	Club appearances	Total goals
1	Khairul Amri	56	34
2	Sherif El-Masri	87	18
	Qiu Li	27
4	Khairul Nizam	57	15
5	Jordan Webb	39	14
6	Ilhan Fandi	33	13
7	Sahil Suhaimi	38	12
8	Fazli Ayob	76	11
9	Fareez Farhan	51	10
	Afiq Yunos	111

• Biggest Wins: 7–1 vs Sinchi FC (23 September 2004)
• Heaviest Defeats: 1–10 vs Lion City Sailors (13 August 2022)
• Youngest Goal scorers: Khairin Nadim ~ 16 years 6 months 9 days old (On 17 November 2020 vs Tampines Rovers)
• Oldest Goal scorers: Khairul Amri ~ 31 years 06 months 11 days old (On 1 April 2023 vs Geylang International)
• Youngest ever debutant: Raoul Suhaimi ~ 15 years 7 months 27 days old (On 15 May 2021 vs Albirex Niigata Singapore)

On 7 September 2010, The S.League fixture between both Young Lions and Beijing Guoan Talent was abandoned in the 89th minute when a massive brawl erupted into violence. The referee and his assistants lost control. Its all started in the final 10 minutes of the game when the first fight broke out in the 84th minute. The match then continued with Afiq Yunos equalising for the Young Lions in the 88th minute. However, a tackle by Beijing's Yu Tianzhu on Young Lions, Nazrul Nazari in the middle of the field saw the match degenerate into a brawl involving both teams, including bench players. As seen in the YouTube video, several Beijing players went in with flying kicks on Gabriel Quak which he suffered an arm injury while Faritz Hameed was seen receiving a blow to the head as he was on the ground. Both Young Lions players were evacuated to the hospital. Beijing's goalkeeper, Su Boyang was also seen attempting to punch Khairul Nizam. Young Lions head coach, Eugene Loo stepped in to help cool down the tension but was in turn kicked in the back as well and fell over. To make matter worst, several fans were also spotted jumping into the field to fight. Even a medical personnel lost his cool and had to be held back. He was seen escorted away from the pitch while challenging the Beijing players to a fight.

Both clubs have been docked five points and fined $5,000 each. The FAS Disciplinary Committee has also concluded that the match will not be replayed and the result will stand.10 players from Beijing and 6 players from Young Lions have been charged for gross misconduct which brought the game into disrepute. Both teams have sinced apologised for the fight.

• Azkals Development Team (Philippines Football League)
• Gimcheon Sangmu (K League 2)

• Official website
• S.League website page on Young Lions