Singapore
Olympians
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Reserve goalkeeper Abdullah Hamid found himself in the hottest seat at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games: as the final line of defence in all four matches that Singapore played.
The team had barely arrived at the Games location when goalkeeper Edward Pillai tore both knee ligaments, leaving Abdullah to take his place. Abdullah became the keystone in a team that went goalless in four out of six matches, pulling off strings of saves.
This earned him the nickname “Abdullah the Great” from the press, most notably during the team’s matches against eventual champions India and Australia.