Singapore football star Adam Swandi, 28, retires after health scare

A medical condition forced Singapore footballer Adam Swandi to call a premature retirement to his professional football career. Swandi, who is just 28 years old, played as a midfielder for the Lion City Sailors football club.

In his last game against Tanjong Pagar United in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) in September, Swandi was substituted at half-time after feeling unwell. While his condition stabilised following immediate medical attention, tests, which were conducted later, revealed that the 28-year-old suffers from cardiomyopathy.

According to the Sailors’ website, “Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. It can lead to serious heart conditions and, in more severe cases, symptoms of heart failure.”

Swandi hung up his boots on December 24. “…the ex-Singapore international has regretfully decided to end his decade-long professional football career,” the club informed.

Talking about his retirement, Swandi said, “Physically, I feel perfectly fine. Every day I wake up, I feel like I can push myself to play. But medically, I’ve been advised by the doctors and cardiologist that I shouldn’t play again. It’s definitely a tough pill to swallow, and I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact that I’m no longer a professional player.”

“In those quiet moments when I’m alone, after my wife and son have gone to bed — when I’m supposed to be sleeping — I sometimes find myself thinking about what really happened. Why did this happen to me? I’ve been doing this for the past 15 years of my life, and now it has to stop just like that,” he added.

A much sought after player, Swandi first shot to fame in the 2011 Lion City Cup, where he captained the Singapore Under-15s to victories over Newcastle United and Juventus, leading the team to a third-place finish.

He was part of the French Ligue 2 side FC Metz for two seasons from 2013 to 2015.

He was part of the inaugural batch when the Sailors was formed in 2020, and remained with the club since. During his stint, he made 93 appearances for the club, and won the 2021 SPL title, the 2023 Singapore Cup, and two Community Shield trophies.

“Adam has been a valuable member of the club since 2020. His warm personality and consistently upbeat spirit have had a positive impact on everyone here. Given his immense talent, we’re all deeply saddened that he has to end his career in this way,” said Sailors chairman Forrest Li.

“As a club, we’re committed to giving him all the love and support he needs as he transitions into his post-football journey, and we hope he will continue contributing to the club in other capacities.”

Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković added, “While we’re saddened to see Adam step away from the game as a player, his health and family must always come first. Adam is not just a footballer; he’s also a father and a husband.

“I’d like to thank him for being an ever-reliable player and the kind of character everyone loves having in the dressing room. We look forward to supporting him as he embarks on the next chapter of his journey.”

Swandi earned 22 caps for the Singapore national team and still holds the distinction of being the Lions’ third-youngest debutant — behind Hariss Harun and Fandi Ahmad — at 17 years and 143 days, when he came on as a substitute in a friendly against Myanmar on 4 June 2013.

Looking back at his career, Swandi said, “As a footballer — or anyone in life — you always feel like you could do better, but I wouldn’t go back and change anything. I’m happy to have made my family proud. It’s not easy to become a professional footballer; it’s not the kind of job you can simply apply for, and I’m one of the lucky few to have done this as a career.”

“When I was around 10 or 11, I always looked up to players like Shahril Ishak and Baihakki Khaizan, so it felt surreal that just a few years later, they were my teammates, and I was sitting beside them in the dressing room. To learn from the best and build friendships with some of the biggest players in the country is something I’m truly grateful for,” he added.

While Swandi had hoped to retire at the age of 35, his journey has been cut shot, but he said he has made peace with it. “I’ve now found peace with this situation. I’ve realised that this is life — it’s unpredictable, and I have to begin a new journey,” he said.