FlashFocus: A Spanish Enclave Shielded by the Quirky Prince of Johor

Spain and Malaysia are two nations with little in common: they are separated by vast distances, speak different languages, and their predominant religions do not align. While the differences are numerous, football has established a unique bond between these countries, primarily through Johor DT.

This club is no ordinary team and boasts a distinctive feature: its leader is Tunku Ismail Ibrahim, the son of Malaysia’s reigning king, after whom the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium is named. Johor, a flourishing state in the southern region of Malaysia, is linked to Singapore via elevated roadways and is home to several stunning beaches.

Ismail Ibrahim has developed a long-standing connection with Valencia, having a personal relationship with club owner Peter Lim, and is a passionate football enthusiast. However, his interests extend beyond the pitch, as he also possesses an impressive collection of luxury vehicles. His garage — or perhaps it’s more akin to a dealership — houses models such as the Ford GT, Bentley Continental Convertible, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, and Mercedes G63 AMG, with estimates suggesting he owns more than 300 cars in total.

On the field, Johor DT has dominated local football, securing the league title an impressive 11 years in a row. They are on the verge of potentially winning the double, having already reached the final of the cup competition, where they will face Sri Pahang. Unfortunately for them, their goal of conquering the Asian Champions League this season came to an end following their elimination at the hands of Buriram from Thailand.

Thirteen Spaniards in the lineup

Interestingly, approximately half of Johor DT’s squad consists of Spanish players—13 to be exact. This is largely due to the influence of sporting director Kiko Insa, a native of Alicante who once played for Elche and Cartagena. The team is managed by Argentine Hector Bidoglio, with Luis Garcia set to take over as CEO on April 1, bringing with him experience from stints at Liverpool, Atletico de Madrid, and Barcelona.

Key players in this intriguing endeavour include Jese Rodriguez, Jonathan Viera, Roque Mesa, Alvaro Gonzalez, Natxo Insa (Kiko’s brother), Andoni Zubiaurre, Jordi Amat, Christian Abad, Eddy Silvestre, Iker Undabarrena, Juan Muniz, Oscar Arribas, and Samu Castillejo, the latest addition to this unique project.

The most notable amongst them is Jese, who has endured a challenging journey since suffering a serious injury at the Santiago Bernabeu. Following that setback, he joined Paris Saint-Germain but struggled to meet expectations, later attempting to regain his form in various locations, including his homeland of Las Palmas. Viera and Roque are also familiar names for fans from the Canary Islands, alongside Castillejo, all boasting substantial credentials.

Inside the club

“Within the team, we definitely communicate in Spanish; we also have Brazilians and some Colombians who understand each other perfectly in Spanish. With the local players, including some Australians, we converse in English. The level of English here is quite impressive; they speak it very well, so there are no communication issues,” remarks Andoni.

Regarding the cultural differences with Spain, the goalkeeper shares: “Ultimately, it is a Muslim country with its own customs, where they are quite devout and adhere closely to their practices.

“There are specific times when training pauses for prayers, and matches in the league are also briefly interrupted for this purpose; these prayers are usually quite short, but there are ample opportunities throughout the day for players to pray before training, which they follow rigorously.

“On a day-to-day basis, there is a fascinating mix of cultures. You’ll find a significant presence of Chinese, Japanese, and Indian communities, which contributes to a vibrant culinary scene.

“There is a wide variety of restaurants to choose from, making daily life in Malaysia quite easy and serene. You won’t encounter anything overwhelmingly unfamiliar that leaves you thinking, ‘I must adapt or else’; rather, options abound and adapting is straightforward,” says the Guipuzcoan player.