Baddrol Bakhtiar

Baddrol bin Bakhtiar (born 1 February 1988) is a Malaysian politician and former professional footballer. He is a former member of the Malaysia U-20, Malaysia U-23 and Malaysia national team squads. He is also a former player of Kedah Darul Aman FC and ended his football career as the captain of the Sabah FC team. Since 2023, he became an official member of Malaysian Islamic Party.

Baddrol is usually employed in the right side of the midfield role, although he has often been deployed as a left-sided midfielder.

He spent most of his club career with Kedah Darul Aman (formerly known as Kedah FA) starting from 2006 until end of 2021, before signing for Sabah FC on 1 December 2021 as a free transfer.

He left Sabah FC and retired from football in 2023 before venturing into politics. During the 2023 Kedah state election, he was announced as the Perikatan Nasional candidate for the Gurun state constituency.

Kedah
Baddrol began his football career with the Kedah youth team. He also was part of the Kedah's 2006 Sukma Games team that won the silver medal. He was a regular throughout the tournament. His performance during theSukma Games attracted the interest of the Kedah Football Association management. Baddrol signed his first professional contract with Kedah in the 2005-06 season and made his debut in the 2006 Malaysia Cup away match against Penang. Baddrol established himself in Kedah's first team, competing for his spot alongside K. Soley as a right winger and Khyril Muhymeen on the left

Nevertheless, after K. Soley left Kedah to join their local rivals, Perlis, Baddrol proved himself as one of the best young talents of the Kedah's youth team system. Starting from the 2007-08 season, Baddrol became a first-team regular for Azraai Khor's squad and performed well in each match with his ability to terrorise defenders, and his pace and trickery with the ball.

Baddrol played more than 400 matches and scored 123 goals in all competitions for Kedah, making him recognised as the club's all-time top scorer.

Training stints and trials
On 6 April 2008, Gifted Group and Football Association of Malaysia selected Baddrol and his former Kedah teammate Mohd Bunyamin Umar for a two weeks' training stint with Chelsea FC at Stamford Bridge alongside their youngsters and more senior players such as Shaun Wright-Phillips, Tal Ben Haim, Steve Sidwell and Nicolas Anelka.

In August 2011, rumours circulated that English Premier League club Wigan Athletic FC offered Baddrol a trial, but this was neither denied nor confirmed by Wigan officials. The rumour would later eventually be dismissed as false.

Sabah FC
After playing for Kedah for almost 16 years, Baddrol signed for Sabah on a free transfer at the age of 33. He made his home debut on 4th April 2022 against Negeri Sembilan.

On 10 April 2022, he scored his first goal against Sarawak United of the 2022 Super League game at the Sarawak State Stadium, Sarawak.

Baddrol bade his farewell to Sabah after having played his last match for the club in a 4–0 home win against Sri Pahang on 15 July 2023, a day after his departure was confirmed. He made 42 appearances and scored 15 goals in all competitions with Sabah.

International career
Baddrol, alongside his teammates Abdul Hadi Abdul Hamid, Mohd Sabre Mat Abu and Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri, Muhammad Shafiq Jamal and Mohd Bunyamin Umar earned their first call-up in 2005 to the Malaysia U-20 team. He made his youth international match debut in AFC Youth Championship 2006 qualifying round on 12 December 2005 against Myanmar at Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia beat Myanmar 4–2. After qualifying to the final round in Bangalore, Baddrol however scored an own goal and Malaysia went down to Vietnam 1–2 in their opening match on 30 October 2006.

Baddrol was also a part of Malaysia U-19 squad for the 2007 Champions Youth Cup. His action in a match against Chelsea wooed the Chelsea coaching staff who gave him a chance to train at Stamford Bridge.

He made his full international debut against Kenya on 12 August 2009. He scored his first goal for the senior team in a match against Uzbekistan on 18 November 2009. He was also part of the 2009 Southeast Asian Games winning squad and managed to score a total 3 goals, 1 against the Timor Leste U-23 team and 2 in the semi-final against the Laos U-23 team.

Baddrol captained the Malaysia U-23 team and led them into winning the gold medal at the 2011 Southeast Asian Games. He also scored three goals and scored the last kick of penalty shoot out against the Indonesia U-23 team to contribute to the second consecutive triumph. In 2018 Asian Games, he was selected as one of the overage players for the Malaysia U-23 team. He captained the team throughout the tournament and create an upset in a 2–1 win over South Korea U-23 team.

Political career
Immediately after leaving Sabah FC, Baddrol returned to his home state, Kedah, and switched his career to politics by joining the Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). Baddrol stated his purpose for joining PAS is to defend the leadership of Datuk Seri Sanusi Md Nor, the Menteri Besar of Kedah at that time. He was named as a candidate for Gurun in the 2023 Kedah state election representing the Perikatan Nasional ticket. He won and became the Gurun assemblyman.

International goals

 * Scores and results list Malaysia's goal tally first.

Personal life
Baddrol was born in Sarawak and currently living in Ambangan Heights, Sungai Petani, Kedah. Baddrol's parents are from Negeri Sembilan, his father being a soldier in the Angkatan Tentera Malaysia (ATM).

Honours
Kedah FA
 * Malaysia Super League (2): 2006–2007, 2007–2008
 * FA Cup Malaysia (4): 2007, 2008, 2017, 2019
 * Malaysia Cup (3): 2007, 2008, 2016
 * Malaysia Premier League (2): 2005–06, 2015
 * Malaysia Charity Shield: 2017


 * International
 * Southeast Asian Games (2): 2009, 2011
 * 2014 AFF Suzuki Cup: Runner-up

Individual
 * PFAM Player of the Month: August 2016, February 2017, June 2019
 * FAM Football Awards Best Midfielder Award: 2010, 2017, 2021
 * FAM Football Awards Most Valuable Players Award: 2017
 * FAM Football Awards Local Top Scores: 2021