Former Liverpool FC star and CEO of Johor Darul Ta’Zim, Luis García, admits he never expected football to move him emotionally again after retirement — until a historic night in Iskandar Puteri, Malaysia, changed everything.
Now serving as Chief Executive Officer of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), the Spanish legend revealed that witnessing the club’s breakthrough moment in Asian football brought him to tears — a feeling he thought had long disappeared after hanging up his boots.
The powerful moment came when JDT secured a historic place in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League for the first time in the club’s history after defeating Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3-2 on aggregate.
For García, who once lifted the UEFA Champions League Final 2005 with Liverpool in Istanbul, the celebration of his own players triggered an unexpected wave of emotion.
“I always thought that once I left football, those feelings would never come back,” García said.
“I still enjoy the game and play seven-a-side with friends every Saturday morning, but I believed that competitive emotion was gone forever. When it suddenly came back, I didn’t expect it. But it did — and I cried.”
Seeing the JDT players celebrate their milestone victory together after months of travel and competition across Asia — from Malaysia to Vietnam and Japan — made the moment even more meaningful.
“When I saw them jumping with joy after everything we’ve been through together, sharing those long journeys and working every day, the emotion just came back.”
García’s role at JDT represents a very different chapter in his football life. After officially retiring in 2016 following spells with Atlético Madrid, FC Barcelona, and Liverpool, he spent years preparing for a career in football management.
The Spaniard pursued UEFA master’s programmes, coaching licences and sporting director courses — though coaching was never his preferred path.
“I prepared for opportunities in football management because I always felt more comfortable working behind the scenes rather than suffering on the pitch,” he explained.
His move to JDT came after receiving a call to meet Tunku Ismail Idris, the Crown Prince of Johor and owner of the club.
“I was comfortable working with ESPN at the time,” García said. “But when I met Tunku Mahkota Ismail and heard his vision for the club, it was incredibly impressive.”
Since 2013, JDT have grown into Southeast Asia’s most dominant club, winning 12 Malaysian league titles while establishing themselves as a regional powerhouse.
According to García, the club’s success is built on a professional structure comparable to leading teams abroad.
“Some people think: ‘You are in Malaysia…’ but we have a complete structure,” he said.
“We have coaches, analysts, fitness staff, set-piece specialists and a digital team. Everything is systematic.”
JDT currently manage a squad of 37 players, a necessity given their demanding schedule of nearly 70 matches per season across domestic competitions and the AFC Champions League.
The club’s squad reflects a diverse international mix, with players from Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Korea and the United States.
Yet García believes Malaysia’s own talent remains the heart of the team — particularly rising star Arif Aiman.
“He is Malaysia’s jewel,” García said.
“Fast, strong in one-against-one situations, and capable of scoring goals. He could easily play in Europe.”
Despite dropping points in a recent Liga Super Malaysia match, JDT remains unbeaten in the league for 105 consecutive games, closing in on a world record.
García believes Malaysian football is also steadily improving as clubs like Selangor FC, Kuala Lumpur City, and Kuching City continue to grow.
“Malaysian football is taking big steps forward,” he said.
But for García, the biggest challenge remains Asia’s premier club competition.
“The Champions League is our biggest test. We’ve already made history by going this far. When I see what it means to the players and the fans, that’s when the emotion comes again.”
For a man who once experienced the miracle of Istanbul, it seems football has found a way to make Luis García feel it all over again.
Source : The Guardian
Credit Photo : JST
