My 10 year-old grandson, Izz Fayyadh bin Mohd Faiz, Primary Year 3 of Sri Al-Amin Primary School Cyberjaya (SRIAAC) and a junior active player of the Football Academy, Ortan FC Cyberjaya, has already asked me which winning team he should support, and stay up for the kick-off. That burst of interest is brilliant, but it could affect his school time because the matches are screened on TV at mid-night or very early morning in Malaysia. The FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament is a rare chance for young fan, Fayyadh to watch the world-class footballers in action. He do not need tactical lectures or expensive kit. As an interested fan, he just need a few simple habits to take down note that turn what they see on screen into something he actually can do with a ball.
Ortan FC Cyberjaya is a prominent grassroots football academy that serves as a vital sports development hub for local youths. Catering to boys and girls from ages 4 to 16, it focuses on building fundamental physical and interpersonal skills through structured training and competitive play. The primary goal is to nurture fundamental motor skills while instilling essential values like teamwork, discipline, and self-confidence in young children. Players have the opportunity to participate in structured environments like Ortan League & SRIAAC sports, allowing them to test their skills grow in a competitive setting. (https://www.facebook.com>Ortan FC Cyberjaya<)
I cautioned Fayyadh, "World Cup matches are played across North American time zones, so Malaysia viewing times will vary. We can check the schedule together, pick some fixtures to treat as ‘family matches’, treat the rest as optional. That keep excitement high without turning it into a late bedtime battle.”
I advised Fayyadh, “Before kick-off, choose one thing to watch for: a clever first touch, a recovery run, or how a defender stays calm under pressure. After the match, spend 5 minutes in the garden trying it. One skill, one match, no coaching manual required. A notebook with three lines per game works well.”
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Zulkifly Baharom (hajizul50@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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