HIGH DEMAND SEES FORMER NATIONAL PLAYER RETURN TO SELLING 'AIR BALANG' FOR RAMADAN

PONTIAN, Feb 20 (Bernama) -- Last year, former national football player Mohammad Gopi Rizqi made headlines after revealing he had faced financial difficulties due to unpaid wages for eight months, which caught the attention of Johor Darul Ta'zim FC (JDT) owner Tunku Mahkota Ismail.

The situation prompted him to sell air balang (drinks in containers) outside his home in Kampung Api-Api during Ramadan to earn extra income, sparking the interest of locals and football fans alike.

This Ramadan, he has returned to selling drinks, not out of necessity, but because fans wanted to see him back in action.

bootstrap slideshow

Mohammad Gopi, 37, who converted to Islam in 2019, said fans and friends had been asking on social media since before Ramadan, with some planning to visit and meet him.

“Alhamdulillah, I’m back selling because fans kept asking. Their messages asking if I’d return this year really motivated me to get going again,” he told Bernama.

Mohammad Gopi played for Pahang (2010-2015), Selangor (2016), JDT (2017-2018), Melaka United (2018), PDRM (2019), Sri Pahang FC (2020), and finished his career with Kuala Lumpur Rovers in 2025.

He also represented Harimau Malaya from 2012 to 2015.

He said last year was memorable, with daily sales jumping from 30 to over 150 packs after media coverage, adding that this year he has included other drink options such as air jagung, air mata kucing, bandung cincau, and taufu fa.

He now runs Benut Junior FC, a football academy based in Pekan Benut, focusing on grassroots talent by training players aged 13 to 15, particularly school students around Pontian.

-- BERNAMA