Pestabola Merdeka

Pestabola Merdeka
Founded 1957
Region Malaysia
Number of teams Varied
Current champions  Malaysia (2nd titles)
Most successful team(s)  Malaysia (10 titles)
Website pestabolamerdeka.my
2013 Pestabola Merdeka

Pestabola Merdeka or Merdeka Tournament is a football tournament held in Malaysia to honour the Independence Day. The competition is named after the Malay word for independence.

History

The Pestabola Merdeka is Asia`s oldest football tournament which invited football playing nations to compete since 1957.[1][2][3][4] While the tournament had been held annually from 1957 to 1988, it has been held only nine times from 1989 to 2013. During the late 1950s to early 1980s,it was a prestigious tournament among asian nations because the participants send their full senior players.[5] After 1980s, it lack of interest because many asian nations more focus on qualification phase in FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup.

The first edition of the Pestabola Merdeka was held in August and September 1957 with Hong Kong emerging inaugural champions. However, from then on it was purely dominated by Malaysia, South Korea, Myanmar, Indonesia and a host of other countries, including South American and European clubs.

Malaysia lifted the trophy nine times since 1958, emerged runners-up on eight occasions, and shared the winner’s rostrum twice with South Korea (1960 and 1979), while the Koreans won it seven times. Indonesia, Taiwan and Myanmar also had their fair share of the accolades. The other champions were Morocco (1980), New Zealand (2000), Uzbekistan (2001), Czechoslovakia Olympic football team (1987) and also Austria’s with their represented SK Admira Wacker (1991), German club-Hamburger SV (1988), Argentina states-Buenos Aires XI (1983) and Brazil states-Santa Catarina XI (1982). While Brazilian states – Sao Paulo XI, Minas Gerais XI, and America FC Rio de Janeiro finished runners-up together with Japan and India in the 56 years history of the tournament.

Champions

Tunku Abdul Rahman and Malaya squad with Merdeka Cup on 1958.

Below are the list of champions in Pestabola Merdeka competitions since 1957.[6]

Year Champions Runners-up Score in final Notes
1957  Hong Kong  Indonesia (tournament in group stages)1
1958  Malaya[7]  Hong Kong
1959  Malaya[8]  India
1960  Malaya[9] South Korea[10] 0–0 (trophy shared)1
1961  Indonesia  Malaya 2–1 1
1962  Indonesia  Pakistan 2–1 2
1963  Taiwan  Japan (tournament in group stages)1
1964  Burma  India 1–0 1
1965  South Korea  Taiwan 1–1 (trophy shared)1
1966  South Vietnam  Burma 1–0 1
1967  South Korea  Burma 0–0 (trophy shared)1
1968  Malaysia  Burma 3–0
1969  Indonesia  Malaysia 3–2
1970  South Korea  Burma 1–0
1971  Burma  Indonesia 1–0 1
1972  South Korea  Malaysia 2–1
1973  Malaysia  Kuwait[11] 3–1 1
1974  Malaysia  South Korea[12] 1–0 1
1975  South Korea  Malaysia[13] 1–0 1
1976  Malaysia  Japan[14] 2–0 1
1977  South Korea  Iraq 1–0
1978  South Korea  Iraq 2–0 1
1979  Korea Republic B  Malaysia 0–0 (trophy shared)
1980  Morocco  Malaysia 2–1 1
1981  Iraq Brazil Sao Paulo XI 1–0
1982 Brazil Santa Catarina XI  Ghana 3–0
1983 Argentina Buenos Aires XI  Algeria XI 2–1
1984  Korea Republic U-23 Brazil Minas Gerais XI 2–0
1985  Korea Republic U-23 Brazil America FC Rio de Janeiro 7–4 (a.e.t)
1986  Malaysia  Czechoslovakia XI 3–0
1987  Czechoslovakia Olympic  South Korea 3–2
1988 West Germany Hamburger SV Austria FC Tirol Innsbruck 1–0
1989–1990 (Not Held)
1991 Austria SK Admira Wacker  China Olympic Team 3–0
1992 (Not Held)
1993  Malaysia  Korea Republic B 3–1
1994 (Not Held)
1995  Iraq Hungary Budapesti Vasas SC 2–0
1996–1999 (Not Held)
2000  New Zealand  Malaysia 2–0
2001  Uzbekistan  Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–1
2002–2005 (Not Held)
2006  Myanmar  Indonesia 2–1
2007  Malaysia U-23  Myanmar 3–1
2008  Vietnam U-22  Malaysia 0–0 (Penalties) 6–5
2009–2012 (Not Held)
2013  Malaysia U-23  Myanmar U-23 2–0
2014 (Not Held)

Note: 1 All teams participant field their strongest side and their match are regarded as full internationals for their association.[15] 2 South Korea was represented by a reverse team with some senior players.

Teams achievements

Below are the record of teams in Pestabola Merdeka competitions (1957–present).

#TeamsChampionsRunner-upsTrophy sharedTotal
1  Malaysia (including Malaya) 88210
2  South Korea 5349
3  Myanmar/Burma 3414
4  Indonesia 34-3
5  Iraq 22-2
6  Korea Republic U-23 22-2
7  Vietnam (including  South Vietnam) 2--2
8  Malaysia U-23 2--2
9  Czechoslovakia 11-1
10  Taiwan 1-12
11 Austria SK Admira Wacker 1--1
11 ArgentinaBuenos Aires Buenos Aires XI 1--1
11 West Germany Hamburger SV 1--1
11  Hong Kong 1--1
11  Morocco 1--1
11  New Zealand 1--1
11 BrazilSanta Catarina (state) Santa Catarina XI 1--1
11  Uzbekistan 1--1
12  India -2-(2)
12  Japan -2-(2)
13  Pakistan -1-(1)
13  Kuwait -1-(1)
13 BrazilSão Paulo (state) Sao Paulo XI -1-(1)
13  Ghana -1-(1)
13  Algeria -1-(1)
13 BrazilMinas Gerais Minas Gerais XI -1-(1)
13 BrazilRio de Janeiro (state) América FC Rio de Janeiro -1-(1)
13 Austria FC Tirol Innsbruck -1-(1)
13 China China Olympic Team -1-(1)
13 Hungary Budapesti Vasas SC -1-(1)
13  Bosnia and Herzegovina -1-(1)
13  Myanmar U-23 -1-(1)

References

External links