Exciting times ahead as Hong Kong football team are at our strongest says forward Matthew Orr

SINGAPORE – Even as England-born Perry Ng is taking steps to obtain Singapore citizenship and join the likes of Japan-born Kyoga Nakamura to play for the Lions, Hong Kong have called up 14 footballers with foreign heritage to their 24-man squad for the sides’ Asian Cup qualifier at the National Stadium on March 25.

While Singapore started naturalising footballers through the Foreign Sports Talent scheme in 2002, Hong Kong already had Portugal-born Arthur Santos playing for them in the 1950s.

Since then, their national team have featured players with roots in Oceania, the Americas, Europe, Africa and other parts of Asia.

At a pre-match press conference on March 24, Matthew Orr, a 28-year-old forward whose father is from New Zealand and mother is from Hong Kong, felt that the approach will help them push for back-to-back Asian Cup qualification at the expense of Group C rivals Singapore, India and Bangladesh.

The Shenzhen Peng City player, who also played in the 1-1 draw against the Lions in 2023, told The Straits Times: “I think this is one of the strongest, if not the strongest Hong Kong squads we have had since I’ve been here, and it’s an exciting time.

“The mixed-heritage players have raised standards and pushed the local players to continue to improve and do even better.

“I was born in Hong Kong and grew up there, so it resonates as my home. Every time I step on the pitch to represent Hong Kong is a very proud moment for me.

“To play at the 2023 Asian Cup was one of the highlights of our careers. It gave us a taste of the pinnacle of Asian football and made us more hungry and motivated to get back there, and it starts again tomorrow.”

Orr, who has scored nine goals in