Johor Darul Ta’zim etched their name deeper into Malaysian football history after lifting the FA Cup 2025, becoming the first club to win the competition four times in a row following their victory over Sabah FC.
JDT head coach Xisco Munoz was quick to credit the club’s sustained dominance to the long-term vision and leadership of team owner Tunku Mahkota Ismail, describing the success as impossible without his influence.
“The boss (Tunku Mahkota Ismail) always gives more to football — not only for the country, but he always thinks ahead in giving the best to the players,” said Munoz.
The Spaniard stressed that winning titles repeatedly requires more than just talent, pointing to ambition, planning and consistency as the pillars behind JDT’s decade-long reign.
“It is not easy to win three, four or five times. It only happens when you have intelligence, ambition and big dreams — exactly like what I said about Tunku Mahkota Ismail,” he added.
Munoz also praised Sporting Director Alistair Edwards, highlighting the importance of elite recruitment and squad depth in maintaining momentum across multiple competitions.
“He works very well and provides players at the level we have. Without players of this quality, we would not be able to sustain our momentum at JDT,” Munoz said.
“When you dominate for 10 years, it means everything in the club is working properly. JDT is a strong team and extremely professional in every department.”
Despite the historic achievement, Munoz warned his players against complacency, insisting that focus must immediately shift to the next challenge in an unforgiving schedule.
“We enjoy tonight, but we have another match to play in three days, and we must refocus on the next game,” he said.
“A few days after that, we play again. It’s a difficult challenge, but we must keep working because this is the level demanded at JDT.”
Credit Photo : JST
