Kuala lumpur: While professional footballers today enjoy contracts worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit, and even millions, former national player Abdul Hamid Gani still remembers having to go to a bank to claim a RM50 reward after helping Selangor reach the 1966 Malaya Cup final. More amusingly, the medal he received after the final was, according to him, 'about the size of a 10-sen coin'. However, for Hamid, 87, the true value of football during that era was not measured by money or rewards, but by a deep passion for the sport.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, reaching the Malaya Cup final only earned the players RM50, and they were asked to collect the money from the bank themselves. Despite the meager rewards, Hamid cherished the opportunity to play and represent his team. The former Selangor and national team defender noted the dramatic changes in Malaysian football over the past six decades, especially with the advent of the professional era.

Hamid acknowledged that today's players deserve better financial rewards due to the demands of professionalism, but he expressed concern that some players have not fully utilized these opportunities to secure their futures. He observed a shift in the motivation of national players, comparing the spirit of his time to the current era where higher salaries are more common.

Before his success with Selangor and the national team, Hamid gained recognition in Australia while studying economics at Queensland University in the late 1950s. He played for Merton Rovers in the Queensland First Division, helping them to a league title in 1962, and represented Queensland in 1963 and 1964.

Hamid reflected on how modern football has evolved to be faster and more reliant on physical strength, noting a loss of the artistry that characterized the game in earlier days. Despite changes over the years, he emphasized the enduring importance of playing with heart and pride for the jersey.