What a difference a year makes.

Just 12 months ago, Putri Alyiah Seow was turning out for Mattar Sailors in the second-tier Women’s National League (WNL). Today, the 22-year-old forward stands on the brink of her AFC Women’s Champions League (AWCL) debut with the Lion City Sailors.

Drawn into Group C, the Sailors are set for their second AWCL campaign at the iconic Hang Jebat Stadium in Melaka. For Alyiah, though, this will be more than just another match — it will be a homecoming, in the land that raised her family.

“Making my AWCL debut is already a milestone in itself, seeing as it’s such a prestigious competition,” she said. “But to do it in Malaysia, where my family is from, makes it even more personal and emotional.”

Alyiah could barely contain her excitement when she learnt that Melaka would host the tournament. After all, it meant she had been handed a rare opportunity to bring her “two identities together in one moment” by flying Singapore’s flag high on a stage deeply meaningful to her and her loved ones.

Home is where the heart is

Alyiah’s roots trace back to Kuala Lumpur (KL), just a two-hour drive from Melaka, where her parents and older sister were born and raised. In 2002, her family moved to Europe, and that was where Alyiah’s own story began.

“My dad took up a job in Den Haag in the Netherlands, where my younger brother and I were born. That’s where I grew up, and where I first discovered my love for football. After seven years there, we moved to Singapore,” she recounted.

Alyiah’s journey has since spanned the coastlines of the Netherlands, Singapore’s Little Red Dot, a year in Abu Dhabi, and later Central London for university, but through it all she has carried her Malaysian heritage with pride, despite never having lived there herself.

(Alyiah – front row, second from left – with her extended family in KL)

“I’ve always stayed super close to my Malaysian roots despite never living in Malaysia,” she shared. “It’s my home away from home. I’ve managed that mainly through my big family there. We visit KL multiple times a year, whether it’s for festive periods, school breaks, or the surprisingly frequent weddings we have in the family.

“Being in Singapore has helped too, because of the shared culture and food, and of course the proximity. When I was living in the Netherlands and in London, trips back weren’t as frequent, but I surrounded myself with Malaysian communities…even my two flatmates in London were Malaysian!”

Family: Alyiah’s biggest fans

And so, Alyiah is looking forward to seeing her extended family in the stands at Hang Jebat Stadium, cheering her on throughout the Sailors’ AWCL fixtures, starting with their opener against Etihad Club next Monday (25 Aug).

(Alyiah – front row, second from left – with her extended family)

“I don’t have an exact number of relatives coming, but maybe around eight,” she said with a grin. “They wouldn’t miss it for the world! They’re my number one supporters, and having them there always means so much to me. Knowing they’re behind me through ups and downs is what keeps me motivated. I just hope I can continue to make them proud.”

Indeed, Alyiah’s family already has plenty to be proud of. Last year, she finished as joint second-highest scorer in the WNL while helping her team lift the trophy. Since then, she has made her Women’s Premier League (WPL) and first-team debuts, and despite the step up in level, she has continued to impress. She is currently the Sailors’ joint top-scorer, having already matched last season’s tally of seven. 

But despite her rapid rise, Alyiah is keen to keep her feet on the ground. For her, football has always been about the team, whether creating chances or finishing them herself.

“Back then, I saw the first team as the benchmark I wanted to reach,” Alyiah explained. “Now, to not only be part of the squad, but also represent the only Singaporean club in a competition as big as the AWCL, is surreal. The growth you get from such opportunities is invaluable.”

Even as Alyiah prepares for the biggest stage of her career, she keeps her goals simple: to give her all and honour the people who have stood by her.

“I hope I’ll really test and push myself playing against some of the best in Asia,” Alyiah said. “Of course, I’d love to make an impact with strong performances, and hopefully a goal or two. But most of all, I want to walk away from this tournament knowing I made my friends and family in both Singapore and Malaysia proud.”