Bergson da Silva delivered a fairytale international debut for Malaysia, scoring on his first appearance for Harimau Malaya and earning Man of the Match honors in the team’s opening FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 victory over Bangladesh.
Visibly moved by the significance of the occasion, the Brazilian-born forward reflected on the surreal nature of representing his adopted nation for the first time, describing a moment that exceeded even his own expectations. “I never imagined being here. Today, when I entered the pitch, I shared moments with these guys. It’s a reason to feel very proud and happy,” Bergson said, his emotion evident throughout the exchange.
The newly capped international extended heartfelt gratitude toward Malaysian supporters, framing his personal milestone as an achievement shared collectively with the nation that embraced him. “I think all the people that like me and support me in Malaysia, they feel the same. Because sharing moments and making memories with these guys, this doesn’t have a price.”
Echoing sentiments his head coach had expressed earlier in team video messaging, Bergson spoke passionately about the importance of savoring fleeting opportunities within the national team environment, revealing a maturity and gratitude that resonated beyond the statistical achievement of his debut goal. “We need to enjoy every opportunity that we have to play together—even the meetings or the meals together, we enjoy those times,” he explained. “Because we never know when it’s the first time or the last that we have the opportunity to enjoy together. This means a lot. I’m very proud and very happy to share these moments with the people.”
With celebrations brief, Bergson immediately turned his attention toward Malaysia’s daunting upcoming assignment against tournament hosts Indonesia at Gelora Bung Karno, offering a defiant yet measured assessment of his side’s chances. While acknowledging the host nation’s evident quality, the forward refused to concede any psychological ground ahead of the highly anticipated regional derby. “Every game will be tough. We know the power of Indonesia—they are playing at home this competition. But as a Malaysian, we need to be focused on every point that we have against them.”
Bergson identified collective unity as Malaysia’s defining weapon against superior individual talent, articulating a team-first philosophy that has clearly permeated the squad’s mentality under Cheng Hoe’s guidance. “When we are together, I think we unite and then we collect our power to play against the big opponents. I think the motivation is different, and then if you collect all the powers together, we can achieve the things. That’s our mentality.”
Delivering his most striking declaration at the press conference, the forward left no doubt about Malaysia’s competitive intent despite their underdog status against the tournament hosts. “We don’t scare anyone, and then we will go forward to achieve our goals. That’s why we came here in Jakarta to play this kind of game.”
Credit Photo : FAM
