"We Want to Make Malaysia Proud": Speedy Tigers' Mohd Fitri Bin Saari on the Road to the Top Ten

Malaysia's men's hockey team currently sits 14th in the FIH World Rankings, but for winger Mohd Fitri Bin Saari that number is not where the story ends. Sitting down for an exclusive interview, the Speedy Tiger laid out a clear and ambitious roadmap: climb into the world's top ten within a year, and use next month's Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, as a springboard toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

"Our Target Is Top Ten"

Asked about the next step for the national team, Mohd Fitri did not hesitate.

"For myself, I target top ten in the world, maybe in one year," he said. "So we try to work hard to achieve our target, to be a top ten team. We also believe Malaysia can become a champion — winning the World Cup outright might still be a bit difficult, but our target is to be champions at the tournament next month in Nagoya, Japan. That is our target at the moment."

The tournament in question is the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, running from September 19 to October 4, where Malaysia's hockey squad will compete for a title that carries extra significance this cycle: gold at the Asian Games doubles as direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

A Tough Group, But Lessons in Discipline

Reflecting on what the journey has taught him about team spirit, unity, and handling setbacks, Mohd Fitri pointed to discipline as the foundation of everything else.

"It's very important for us to be disciplined and motivated for every game, to keep winning," he explained. "But at the World Cup, I think it will be difficult, because our opponents are quite strong — we're up against Belgium and Germany, both very good teams. So we need to work even harder than before."

His assessment tracks with the draw Malaysia received for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands, where the Speedy Tigers were placed in Pool B alongside two former world champions, Belgium and Germany, as well as France, the reigning FIH Nations Cup title-holders — a group widely described as one of the toughest at the tournament.

Family as the Driving Force

When the conversation turned to motivation — particularly how he stays driven when results don't go the team's way — Mohd Fitri's answer was immediate and personal.

"The biggest motivation for me is my parents, my family — to make them proud," he said. "Since I started playing hockey, my dream has been to win every game and become a champion."

He also revealed the scale of what is riding on the team's upcoming campaign in Japan. "This year we have a big dream to win at the Asian Games, because if we win there, we go straight to the LA 2028 Olympics."

A Message to the Fans

Asked what he would like to say directly to Malaysians at home and around the world, Mohd Fitri's message was one of gratitude and a rallying cry for continued support.

"To the supporters of Malaysia, keep supporting us. We need everyone behind us to become champions in every tournament. Thank you to all our supporters — Speedy Tigers, it's not impossible. Thank you."

Malaysia's men's hockey team is currently ranked 14th in the world. The squad will compete at the FIH Hockey World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands before turning its attention to the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan this September.