PETALING JAYA, Aug 9 — The Harimau Malaya are ready to take up the gauntlet by reaching the top 15 in Asian football ranking someday.

Head coach Kim Pan Gon, however, said such a mission won’t happen overnight unless the whole team work their socks off to make Football Association of Malaysia’s (FAM) dream come true.

"We may face a difficult situation (to reach top 15 in Asia) but everybody must be united in any circumstances, give support and encourage each other to move forward,” he told reporters when met here, yesterday.

Last Monday, FAM president Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin hoped to see the national team, who are ranked 24th in Asia, to move up the rungs and reach top 15 in the future.

Meanwhile, Pan Gon said he will prepare for the best squad to play in the two Tier 1 international friendlies in Chengdu, China, next month.

He said this includes by calling up Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) sensational winger Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi to feature in the two friendlies against Syria on Sept 6 and China on Sept 9.

Although Arif Aiman could be available to play for the Under-23 Asian Cup 2024 qualifier which begins Sept 4-12, Pan Gon had insisted to use the service of Arif Aiman in the senior squad for China’s task.

"We will try to select the best players (for friendlies in Chengdu) to prepare for the second round of the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers this November followed by the 2023 Asian Cup campaign in Qatar next January,” he said.

The national men’s U-23 squad were drawn against Thailand, Bangladesh and the Philippines in Group H to vie for a place in the finals to be held in Qatar from April 15 to May 3, 2024.

In the second round of the 2026 World Cup/2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers, which will begin in November, Malaysia have been drawn in Group D with Oman, Kyrgyzstan and the winner of the playoff between Taiwan and Timor Leste.

As for the 2023 Asian Cup Finals from January 12 — Feb 10 next year, Malaysia are in Group E with two-time champions South Korea, Jordan and Bahrain. — Bernama