Ikhsan Fandi facts for kids
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Ikhsan playing for Raufoss IL in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ikhsan bin Fandi Ahmad | ||
| Date of birth | 9 April 1999 | ||
| Place of birth | Singapore | ||
| Height | 1.84 m | ||
| Playing position | Forward, winger | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | BG Pathum United | ||
| Number | 99 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2012–2013 | National Football Academy | ||
| 2013 | Hércules | ||
| 2014 | Barnechea | ||
| 2014–2015 | Universidad Católica | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2016 | Home United | 4 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Young Lions | 30 | (8) |
| 2019–2020 | Raufoss | 37 | (6) |
| 2020–2021 | Jerv | 36 | (7) |
| 2022– | BG Pathum United | 48 | (22) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2017–2021 | Singapore U22 | 20 | (8) |
| 2017–2021 | Singapore U23 | 6 | (0) |
| 2017– | Singapore | 38 | (19) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Ikhsan bin Fandi Ahmad (born on April 9, 1999), known as Ikhsan Fandi, is a professional footballer from Singapore. He plays as a forward or a winger. Ikhsan plays for the Thai League 1 club BG Pathum United and the Singapore national team. Many people think he is one of the best strikers Singapore has ever had.
Ikhsan started his football journey in youth teams, following in his famous father's footsteps. He trained at the National Football Academy (NFA). He also had trials with different clubs. At 17, he became a professional player with Home United in 2016.
Later, Ikhsan joined the Young Lions in 2017. He then moved to Norway to play for Raufoss IL and FK Jerv. He scored 16 goals in total for these clubs. In 2021, he returned to Asia and signed with BG Pathum United in Thailand.
Ikhsan holds a special record in the Thai League. He scored four goals in just eleven minutes against PT Prachuap on April 5, 2022. This was the fastest four goals scored by a player in the league's history. He is also the first Singaporean player to score in the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League.
Contents
About Ikhsan Fandi
Ikhsan was born on April 9, 1999, in Novena, Singapore. His father is the famous Singaporean football player Fandi Ahmad. His mother is Wendy Jacobs, a former model.
Ikhsan has four siblings. His older brother, Irfan, plays for Port FC. His younger brother, Ilhan, is his teammate at BG Pathum United. His youngest brother, Iryan, plays for Hougang United. He also has a sister named Iman.
His grandfather, Ahmad Wartam, was also a national goalkeeper. Ikhsan started playing football at a young age. He went to the Singapore Sports School in Woodlands. He also has a diploma in sports management from Republic Polytechnic (RP).
Ikhsan's Club Journey
Starting Out in Youth Football
In March 2013, Ikhsan and his older brother Irfan got a chance to try out for Hércules. This was a professional club in Spain. However, they could not sign contracts because of visa problems.
Later in 2013, the brothers signed two-year contracts with a Chilean club called Barnechea. After that, Ikhsan and Irfan joined another Chilean club, Universidad Católica.
Playing for Home United
Ikhsan came back to Singapore and joined Home United in 2016 with his brother Irfan. He played his first senior game in a 2–2 draw against Warriors FC. He came on as a substitute late in the game. During this time, he was also doing his National Service (NS). Because of NS, he only played 4 games and did not score any goals that season.
Time with Young Lions
In 2017, Ikhsan moved to the Young Lions, an under-23 football team. He made his debut for them on April 23, 2017, against Tampines Rovers. He played 10 league games while serving his national service.
Ikhsan scored his first professional goal for Young Lions against Hougang United. He also helped set up another goal in that game. He stayed with the Young Lions for the 2018 Singapore Premier League season. He scored 8 goals during his time with the club.
Moving to Norway: Raufoss IL
In January 2019, Ikhsan went to Norway for trials with different clubs. He did well and was offered a two-year contract with Raufoss IL. This club had just been promoted to the Norwegian First Division.
Ikhsan played his first match for Raufoss in a friendly game on January 12. He scored his first goal for the club in another friendly on January 25, 2019. He made his league debut on April 8, 2019. He ended his first season with Raufoss with 6 goals and 1 assist in 28 matches.
In 2020, Ikhsan scored his first goal of the season in his fifth game. He helped Raufoss win 3–1 against Asane. He wanted to move from Raufoss because he had played only 425 minutes in 11 matches that year.
Playing for FK Jerv
On October 5, 2020, Ikhsan moved from Raufoss IL to another Norwegian club, FK Jerv. He signed a contract until 2022. He made his debut two days later. He scored his first goal for Jerv in his first full game, a 4–2 win against his old club Raufoss.
Ikhsan scored his third and fourth goals for FK Jerv in just his fifth game. This helped the club win 4–2 against Øygarden FK. On December 14, 2020, he scored his fifth goal for the club in the last game of the season. This goal helped FK Jerv stay in the Norwegian second tier. Ikhsan called it the "most important of his career."
In 2021, Ikhsan scored his first goal of the season in his first game back from injury. His club, FK Jerv, was promoted to the top Norwegian league, Eliteserien. This happened after they won a play-off match on penalties. Ikhsan was very happy and proud of his club.
Joining BG Pathum United
2021–22 Season
In December 2021, there were rumors that clubs in Asia were interested in Ikhsan. On December 22, 2021, Thai League 1 champions BG Pathum United announced that Ikhsan had joined their club. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract.
On April 6, 2022, Ikhsan scored his first hat-trick for the club. He scored 4 goals in a league game against PT Prachuap, which ended 7–2. His 4 goals in 11 minutes were incredibly fast!
On April 24, 2022, Ikhsan scored his first goals in the AFC Champions League. He scored two goals against United City. This helped his club win 3–1 and secure their top spot in the group.
2022–23 Season
On August 6, 2022, Ikhsan won his first trophy with BG Pathum United. He scored in the 38th minute to help his team win the 2022 Thailand Champions Cup with a 3–2 victory.
On August 19, 2022, Ikhsan and his brother Irfan made history. They became the first Singaporeans to reach the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League. Their club beat Kitchee SC 4–0. Ikhsan scored one of the goals with a powerful shot from outside the box.
2023–24 Season
On December 2, 2023, Ikhsan returned to play after a long injury. He came on as a substitute and helped his team win 3–2. In the next game on December 9, he scored a header to secure a 2–1 win. On March 9, 2024, Ikhsan scored two goals against Sukhothai in a big 7–1 win. He scored another two goals on April 6, 2024, helping his club win 3–2. He scored 11 goals in 25 games during the 2023–24 season. On June 1, 2024, Ikhsan signed a new three-year contract with BG Pathum United.
On June 16, Ikhsan won his second trophy with the club, the 2023–24 Thai League Cup. He played the whole match in a 1–0 win.
2024–25 Season
After being injured for almost five months, Ikhsan played again on November 24. He came on as a substitute in a game his team lost 1–0. In his next match on December 1, Ikhsan came on at half-time. He scored a very important goal in stoppage time (90+2') to give his team a 1–0 win.
Ikhsan's International Career
Youth Teams
Ikhsan was part of the Singapore U16 team that came third in the 2015 Lion City Cup. He scored two goals against Liverpool U15.
He was called up to the Singapore U22 team for the 2017 SEA Games. He scored a penalty against India and two long-range goals against Brunei. He played all 4 games for the team at the 2017 SEA Games and scored one goal.
Playing for Singapore's Senior Team
Ikhsan was called up to the national team in 2017. He made his debut against Hong Kong. He scored his first international goal on September 7, 2018, against Mauritius. He scored his second goal in the next game against Fiji.
Ikhsan played in the 2018 AFF Championship. He scored two goals in a 6–1 win against Timor-Leste. He scored his eighth goal for Singapore in a World Cup qualification match against Yemen.
On December 25, 2021, in a semi-final match against Indonesia, Ikhsan did something amazing. He played in goal for the last few minutes of the game. This happened after the goalkeeper was sent off and Singapore had no more substitutes. Ikhsan saved a free kick and did not let in any goals. He became famous for this brave performance.
On March 26, 2022, Ikhsan played alongside his brothers Irfan and Ilhan for the national team. This was the first time three brothers played in the same game for the Singapore national team. It was also a first in international football history! Ikhsan scored two goals in that game, helping Singapore win 2–1 against Malaysia.
Ikhsan scored his first international hat-trick on June 14, 2022. He helped Singapore win 6–2 against Myanmar. This brought his total to 16 goals for Singapore. He scored his 17th goal from a free-kick in a 1–1 draw against India.
Ikhsan missed the 2022 AFF Championship because of a serious knee injury in December 2022. He returned to play on November 21, 2023, in a World Cup qualification match against Thailand. On June 11, 2024, he scored a powerful goal against Thailand. Even though Singapore lost 3–1, his goal was very important.
Life Beyond Football
Ikhsan completed his National Service (NS) with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) from 2016 to 2018. He was able to continue playing and training professionally during this time. This was thanks to a special program for athletes.
Besides football, Ikhsan enjoys swimming and visiting Sentosa island. His favorite local breakfast is two egg pratas. He also has a sponsorship deal with the sports brand Adidas.
Career Statistics
Club Performance
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Home United | 2016 | S.League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Young Lions | 2017 | S.League | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |
| 2018 | Singapore Premier League | 20 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 20 | 8 | ||
| Total | 30 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 8 | ||
| Raufoss | 2019 | 1.divisjon | 26 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 28 | 6 | |
| 2020 | 1.divisjon | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | ||
| Total | 37 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 7 | ||
| Jerv | 2020 | 1.divisjon | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 5 | |
| 2021 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 24 | 4 | |||
| Total | 36 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 9 | ||
| BG Pathum United | 2021–22 | Thai League 1 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 15 |
| 2022–23 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 12 | ||
| 2023–24 | 18 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 11 | ||
| Total | 46 | 21 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 62 | 36 | ||
| Career total | 151 | 41 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 177 | 62 | ||
- Young Lions are ineligible for qualification to AFC competitions in their respective leagues.
- Raufoss are ineligible for qualification to UEFA competitions in their respective leagues.
International Goals and Appearances
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | |||
| 2017 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 8 | 5 | |
| 2019 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2021 | 7 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 7 | 6 | |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 3 | 1 | |
| Total | 38 | 18 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 7 September 2018 | Bishan Stadium, Bishan, Singapore |  Mauritius |
1–1 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 2. | 11 September 2018 | Bishan Stadium, Bishan, Singapore |  Fiji |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 3. | 16 October 2018 | Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia |  Cambodia |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 4. | 21 November 2018 | National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore |  East Timor |
3–1 | 6–1 | 2018 AFF Championship |
| 5. | 4–1 | |||||
| 6. | 5 September 2019 | National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore |  Yemen |
1–0 | 2–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7. | 15 October 2019 | National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore |  Uzbekistan |
1–1 | 1–3 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8. | 19 November 2019 | Shaikh Ali Bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa Stadium, Muharraq, Bahrain | Yemen |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9. | 5 December 2021 | National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore |  Myanmar |
2–0 | 3–0 | 2020 AFF Championship |
| 10. | 3–0 | |||||
| 11. | 22 December 2021 | National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore |  Indonesia |
1–1 | 1–1 | 2020 AFF Championship |
| 12. | 26 March 2022 | National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore |  Malaysia |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2022 FAS Tri-Nations Series |
| 13. | 2–1 | |||||
| 14. | 14 June 2022 | Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan | Myanmar |
1–0 | 6–2 | 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification |
| 15. | 4–1 | |||||
| 16. | 5–2 | |||||
| 17. | 24 September 2022 | Thống Nhất Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |  India |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2022 VFF Tri-Nations Series |
| 18. | 11 June 2024 | Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand |  Thailand |
1–1 | 1–3 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Trophies and Awards
BG Pathum United
- Thailand Champions Cup: 2022
- Thai League Cup: 2023–24
Singapore U-22
- Merlion Cup: 2019
Individual Awards
- Thai League Dream ASEAN XI
- 2021–22 Thai League 1 Player of the Month: April
Images for kids
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Ikhsan playing for Raufoss IL
