Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 29 April 1991 (34)
Previous Clubs: Geylang International (2014-2019), Hougang United (2020-2022)
A rare talent who was nurtured in and plucked from Singapore’s amateur leagues, Shawal’s stock has risen in recent years – and sharply so.
The proverbial late bloomer, Shawal is now one of Singapore’s top forwards at the moment. In 2022 he combined flair with trickery and a keen eye for goal, scoring a career-high 11 Singapore Premier League goals to inspire Hougang United to their first-ever trophy last season – the Singapore Cup.
That earned him the big move to the Sailors in 2023 and he enjoyed a stunning 2024/25 campaign with the club. That season, he scored a career-high 27 goals – including eight strikes in the AFC Champions League Two which meant he finished the tournament’s second-highest goalscorer.