Lions goalkeeper Hassan Sunny retires from international football after fulfilling promise

SINGAPORE – After fulfilling a promise, Lions goalkeeper Hassan Sunny made the difficult decision to retire from international football, acknowledging that it was the right time to listen to his body and step away from the game.

His last match in a Singapore shirt – a 3-1 loss to Thailand in a World Cup qualifier on June 11 – was memorable for his 11 saves, which not only helped China qualify for the next round at the Thais’ expense, but also made him a star among their fans.

Hassan, who announced his retirement on social media on Aug 18, told The Straits Times that it felt like the “jigsaw pieces have fallen into place”, prompting him to step aside after 115 appearances in over 20 years, which made him the most-capped Lions custodian.

The 40-year-old said: “Firstly, (this decision) is down to my age. I feel it’s time to listen to my body, which is telling me to give it a rest when it comes to the national team and we’ve got others to take over.

“Secondly, it’s down to the timing of the Thailand game. The result wasn’t the best, but in terms of performance, it’s something for me to remember. That was one of the highs out of many lows in my career, so it feels like the jigsaw pieces have fallen into place.

“I still remember it was at the airport where Tatsuma whispered to me and said, ‘I want you to play until 40’ and I promised him, so that’s one of the promises I’ve fulfilled.”