The Sailors, a Singapore Premier League club, made history with their Asian Football Confederation group stage debut as an exceptional success story for Asian football. With their victory they have earned a place in the AFC Champions League second-tier competition, ACL Two. This accomplishment creates a fascinating parallel with European football, especially the UEFA Europa League, which is considered its counterpart. While the Sailors’ success is a culmination of their own growth as a club, it speaks to the changing dynamics of Asian football overall.
The ACL Two is a prestigious tournament featuring a 32-team group stage, providing clubs an opportunity to compete on a continental level. The UEFA Europa League is the second most important club tournament organized by UEFA. It has an innovative format with a league stage. The Sailors’ achievement is truly extraordinary. It represents a huge step up for a club of Singapore’s caliber, akin to a country qualifying for the Europa League from Europe.
In years past, clubs such as CSKA Sofia, Bulgaria’s most famous club, would shake things up in European tournaments. CSKA Sofia twice reached the semifinals of the European Cup. This long pre-dates the inception of the UEFA Champions League. If they complete an improbable Europa League victory today, it will send shock waves across the football world. This triumph will show the world that underdogs – even from much lower leagues – can achieve amazing things.
Only five Bulgarian clubs have advanced this far in the Europa League or UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup historically throughout Europe. This paints a picture of a dynamic, competitive state, where scrappy underdogs have a real shot at winning. In UEFA, the chasm in quality between countries is carved less prominently. The imbalance is far more apparent in the AFC. The difference is incredible. Half of the European leagues are currently in a Champions Group Stage spot, with eight of the top ten teams in the FIFA world rankings hailing from Europe.
The successes of smaller countries such as Iceland go a long way in proving out this juxtaposition. Ranked 38th globally, Iceland’s qualification for the 2018 World Cup was a historic achievement for a nation with a population of just over 389,000 people. This major success story is an inspiration to both fans and players. It spurs on clubs striving to earn their place in tournaments such as the ACL Two.
Larger than life players like Hristo Stoichkov have long defined football’s most captivating narratives. Stoichkov’s role in lifting Iceland to unprecedented heights in the sport during his playing days as well as his relevance now prove invaluable. The legacies of these players and clubs still live on to influence future talents from each country.
Beyond its political clout, Georgia has a storied footballing past, with clubs such as Dinamo Tbilisi being praised for their dominance both in local and European competitions. Meanwhile, teams from Albania, North Macedonia, and Georgia are making waves. This growth speaks to the rising international competitiveness in their leagues, like we’re seeing in Europe. Similarly, clubs such as KF Tirana and FK Vardar have left their legacy on continental competitions.
The Sailors’ historic achievement brings renewed hope and optimism for the future of Singaporean football. Perhaps equally important, it signals a change in how the world will perceive Asian clubs. Their involvement in the ACL Two does wonders for their reputation. More importantly, it places Singaporean football’s name on the global map, right next to seasoned clubs from Europe and other continents.
Leave a Reply