All aboard for the Lion City Sailors in their quest for Asian glory

SINGAPORE – Explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus, who kickstarted Europe’s exploration of the Americas in the 15th century, once said: “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

Across the continents and centuries, the Lion City Sailors have adopted the same mentality in football, as the Singapore Premier League (SPL) club stand on the cusp of history. They will become the first Singaporean team to win an Asian club competition should they beat Emirati side Sharjah FC in the AFC Champions League Two final at Bishan Stadium on May 18.

Founded in 1945, the Police Sports Association evolved into Police FC in 1996 and Home United in 1997 to play in the local professional league. They won two S-League titles and six Singapore Cups, and were credited with developing many national players. They also reached the 2004 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup semi-final and the inter-zone play-off semi-finals in 2018.

Underachievement followed for years after, before local billionaire Forrest Li stepped in to chart a new course by taking over the club in 2020 and transforming them into the Lion City Sailors, Singapore’s first privatised football team.

The winds, however, were not always in their favour. They won the Singapore Premier League title in 2021 and the Singapore Cup in 2023, breaking local records by spending millions on transfer fees and salaries to attract players from top European and Asian leagues. Though they lost the SPL to Albirex Niigata’s Japanese youngsters in 2020, 2022, 2023, and had to offload expensive misfits.

But the Sailors have stayed the course.

Despite spending big, they steered clear of ageing superstars like Cesc Fabregas, choosing players with plenty of mileage who have established themselves in top European leagues.

They also established a strong, data-driven backroom