Thanabalan Nadarajah

Thanabalan a/l Nadarajah (Malay pronunciation: [ʈhaɳa]; born 25 February 1995) is a Malaysian professional footballer who plays as forward for Malaysia Super League club Kedah and the Malaysia U-23 national team.[8][9] In 2013, Thanabalan has signed five-year contract with Negeri Sembilan and featured in the Negeri Sembilan U-21 and later promoted to the senior team in 2014 and was given shirt number 32. During 2015 season, Thanabalan was allocated the number 33 shirt.[10]

For the retired footballer, see Thanabalan Nadarajah (footballer, born 1943).

N. Thanabalan

Personal information
Full name	Thanabalan a/l Nadarajah[1]
Date of birth	(1995-02-25) 25 February 1995[2]
Place of birth	Rantau, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia[3][4]
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[5]
Playing position(s)	Forward[6] / Winger
Club information
Current team	Perak II
Number	4
Youth career
2013	Negeri Sembilan U-21[7]
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2018	Negeri Sembilan	30	(6)
2017	→ Felcra (loan)	13	(4)
2019–	Kedah	11	(1)
2020–	→ Perak II (loan)	0	(0)
National team^‡
2013–2014	Malaysia U-19	8	(1)
2015–	Malaysia U-23	18	(14)
Honours Malaysia under-23 Sea Games Sea Games 2017 Football
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 June 2018 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 January 2018

Thanabalan made his competitive debut for Negeri Sembilan against DRB-Hicom on 24 January 2014 in the Liga Premier home match at Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium. He played for 68 minutes before being replaced by Fauzi Nan.[11]

Thanabalan made his first appearance of the 2015 season as a substitute in Negeri Sembilan's opening Liga Premier match, a 1–1 draw at home against Kuantan.[12]

Originated from Kampung Sagga,[13] Rantau in the state of Negeri Sembilan, Thanabalan the oldest child of S. Nadarajah, who is paralysed from the chest down following a road accident in 2013 and V. Thirusundari a housewife.[14] He has a younger brother and a younger sister, Keeteswaran and Keerthikaa.[15] Thanabalan was part of the national team that qualified for the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship that will take place in China after scored 2 goals in 3 appearances during qualification matches.[16]

As a child Thanabalan regularly played football at school field of Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil, Sungai Gadut, Seremban who trained by his own father.[17] He later further his education to Tunku Ismail Sports School in Johor.[18]

Thanabalan has a girlfriend who is studying law at local college.[19]

Thanabalan made 6 appearances and 4 goals in 2017 Southeast Asian Games.[20] He has played in the final against Thailand which Malaysia lost 0–1 due to an own goal scored by Malaysian keeper Haziq Nadzli.[21]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 8 August 2019[22][23]

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Malaysia			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
2014	Negeri Sembilan	Malaysia Premier League	2	0	0	0	0	0	–		2	0
2015		Malaysia Premier League	14	3	1	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	–		16	3
2016		Malaysia Premier League	2	0	7	0	0	0	–		9	0
2018		Malaysia Super League	12	3	0	0	0	0	–		12	3
Total			30	6	8	0	1	0	0	0	39	6
2017	Felcra FC (loan)[25]	Malaysia FAM League	13	4	1	0	–		–		14	4
Total			13	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	14	4
2019	Kedah	Malaysia Super League	11	1	3	0	2	0	–		16	1
Total			11	1	3	0	2	0	0	0	16	1
2020	Perak II	Malaysia Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	–		0	0
Total			0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career total			54	11	12	0	3	0	0	0	69	11

1. One appearance during 2015 Piala Malaysia play-off.[24]

International goals

Malaysia Under-23

As of January 2018.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Result	Goal Scored	Competition
1.	20 March 2017	Police Officers Club Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates	China PR	1–1	1	Dubai Cup
2.	26 March 2017	Theab Awana, Dubai, United Arab Emirates	Singapore	3–1	1	Dubai Cup
3.	13 July 2017	Shah Alam Stadium, Malaysia	Myanmar	2–0	1	Friendly
4.	19 July 2017	National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand	Indonesia	3–0	1	2018 AFC U-23 Championship qualification
5.	23 July 2017	National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand	Mongolia	2–0	1	2018 AFC U-23 Championship qualification
6.	16 August 2017	Shah Alam Stadium, Malaysia	Singapore	2–1	1	Football at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games
7.	21 August 2017	Shah Alam Stadium, Malaysia	Myanmar	3–1	2	Football at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games
8.	26 August 2017	Shah Alam Stadium, Malaysia	Indonesia	1–0	1	Football at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games
9.	20 January 2018	Kunshan Stadium, Kunshan, China	South Korea	1–2	1	2018 AFC U-23 QF

Honours

Club

Kedah

• Malaysia FA Cup: 2019
• Malaysia Cup: Runner-up 2019

International

Malaysia U-23

• Southeast Asian Games

Silver Medal: 2017[26]

References

1. "Athlete profile". www.kualalumpur2017.com.my. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
2. "Thanabalan a/l Nadarajah Profile and Statistics". soccerpunter.com. 3 September 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
3. "Namo den Thanabalan!". stadiumastro.com. 27 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
4. "Kisah Disebalik Hero Baru Skuad B-22 Kebangsaan, N Thanabalan". orangnogori.com. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
5. "Felcra 2017". www.pengurusanbolasepakfam.org.my. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
6. "Malaysia's 20-man SEA Games squad profile". FourFourTwo. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
7. "Thanabalan enggan hampakan ayah". Harian Metro. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
8. "N. Thanabalan". semuanyabola.com. 3 July 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
9. "26 Pemain dipanggil untuk Skuad Sukan SEA, Ifwat Akmal antara yang tersenarai". footballmalaysia.com. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2017.
10. "N. Thanabalan : Antara Kerjaya Dan Tanggungjawab". boladaily.com. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
11. "Negeri Sembilan vs DRB-Hicom: Match report 24 January 2014". SPMB. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
12. "Negeri Sembilan vs Kuantan: Match report 12 February 2015". SPMB. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
13. "Siapa N. Thanabalan, Jaringannya Julang Malaysia ke Final dalam buruan pingat emas". amazingnara.com. 26 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
14. "Thanabalan mahu ubah nasib keluarga". sports247.my. 18 June 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
15. "Thanabalan Mahu Menang Emas, Nak Ubah Nasib Keluarga". suara.tv. 27 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
16. "Watch this space – Eight lower-league Malaysians destined for stardom". FourFourTwo. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
17. "Dia anak Malaysia, kata ibu wira bola sepak Thanabalan". themalaysianinsight.com. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
18. "Match-winner Thanabalan says teamwork sent them to final". The Star. 28 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
19. "Bola Sepak Punca Rezeki Saya - Thanabalan". mstar.com.my. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
20. "Thanabalan thanks teammates, wants to score more". Goal.com. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
21. "Thailand leads 1-0 after own goal by Malaysian keeper". The Star. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
22. "N. Thanabalan". Soccerway.com. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
23. "Piala F.A Pusingan 2 : NS Matrix (2) vs (0) UiTM FC". laporansukanalammaya.blogspot.my. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
24. "ATM, JDT II lengkapkan slot 16 pasukan Piala Malaysia". utusan.com.my. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
25. "Thanabalan a hero both at home and on the field, says Chong". The Star. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
26. "SEA Games: Malaysia loses to Thailand 1-0 in football final". thestar.com.my. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.

External links

• Thanabalan Nadarajah at Soccerway