Throughout a trophy-laden career, Singapore forward Noh Alam Shah, voted the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the 2007 ASEAN Championship, became synonymous with success, etching his name as one of the great icons in the 30-year history of the storied tournament.
Setting scoring records that remain intact ahead of this year’s showpiece, now known as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026, the former Tampines Rovers FC stalwart stands in the pantheon of the region’s greats.
No player has scored more goals in a tournament or in a single match than Alam Shah. His achievements not only steered his country to glory in the 2007 finals – Singapore’s third of four titles – but also earned the then 27-year-old a clean sweep of the individual awards.
Having made his debut for Singapore in 2001, Alam Shah was at the peak of his powers when Raddy Avramovic’s defending champions hosted the group stage at the National Stadium, although he failed to find the back of the net in their opener against Vietnam.
Any concerns stemming from Singapore’s inability to score against the Vietnamese soon evaporated in the next fixture as the Lions thrashed Laos 11-0, with Alam Shah scoring seven times.
That tally set a record for the most goals scored in a single ASEAN Championship match, a mark that still stands. It also remains the most goals scored by a Singaporean in an international match.
Alam Shah had scored four times in his previous appearances in the tournament, including a hat-trick in the second leg of the 2004 semi-final against Myanmar, but he reached new heights against the Laotians.
A deft header doubled Singapore’s lead after Mohammad Ridhuan had put the home side in front, and he was soon on target again, nodding home from close range in the 24th minute. Against a tiring defence, he was ruthless, adding another five goals with clinical finishing in the final 30 minutes.
Those seven goals gave Alam Shah a clear advantage in the race for the tournament’s leading scorer award, and he continued his rich vein of form in front of goal by converting a penalty in the 2-2 draw with Indonesia as Singapore topped the group.
His scoring exploits continued into the knock-out rounds, with an equaliser in the first leg of the semi-final against Malaysia before he struck again in the first leg of the final against Thailand, which Singapore won 3-2 on aggregate.
That took Alam Shah to 10 goals in seven matches as he powered Singapore to a successful defence of their title. His prowess in front of goal secured him the MVP award and saw him finish as the tournament’s leading scorer.
His 2007 goal haul took his overall tally in the competition to 15 and, after scoring twice more in 2008, he became the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 17 goals.
That was a record Alam Shah held until 2021, when Teerasil Dangda drew level with a penalty in a 4-0 win over Myanmar before the Thailand striker moved clear by scoring in a 2-1 victory over the Philippines.
Teerasil went on to extend the record to 25 goals.
After 15 editions, Alam Shah’s status as one of the ASEAN Championship’s greatest stars remains intact. He is second on the all-time scoring list, ahead of other great forwards such as Kiatisuk Senamuang and Bambang Pamungkas, and continues to be lauded at home and across the region.
Launched in 1996, the ASEAN Championship, now known as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026 is the jewel in the crown of ASEAN football. The tournament will be held from July 24 to August 26 as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. Stay up to date on the upcoming Hyundai Cup™ 2026 at https://aseanutdfc.com/ and @aseanutdfc on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X and LinkedIn.
