Player Type: MIDFIELDERS
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 24 July 2006 (18)
Previous Club: Albirex Niigata (S)
Sarah, affectionately known as Sarahz, began her football journey playing void-deck football with boys at just five years old.
Now at 18, she is a rising star whose love for the game makes all her problems disappear as soon as she steps onto the field. Having featured in Albirex’s WPL team for the past two years, Sarahz decided to make the move to the Sailors in 2024 and has already a key player with the team.
Drawing inspiration from her favourite player, Chloe Kelly, Sarahz is a versatile talent, known for her trickery on the wings, creativity in midfield and keen eye for goal.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 24 September 2008 (16)
Previous Club: Tanjong Pagar United
When Qarissa was in primary school, her teacher spotted her playing football during recess, and the rest is history. Versatile in both midfield and defence, Qarissa initially started as an attacker.
Much like her idol Lisandro Martinez, Qarissa is a composed yet aggressive player, calm under pressure and fearless in tackles. She is also a regular starter for the senior national team and credits her success to her supportive father.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 16 March 2004 (21)
Previous Club: BG Tampines Rovers
Nurhidayu, more commonly known as Ayu, is known for her soft-heartedness off the field.
On it, however, Ayu transforms into a fearless midfielder who reads the game well and is fully committed and brave in the tackle. After suffering an unfortunate ACL injury, Ayu made her comeback with the Sailors Women this season and is determined to make up for lost time, alongside her younger sister Natasha.
Nationality: Australian
DOB/Age: 18 September 2003 (22)
Previous Clubs: FK Voždovac (2022-2023), Peninsula Power (2023)
A versatility player who can play on the flanks or across the front line, Obren fills one of the three permitted Under-21 foreign players’ slots for the Sailors’ SPL squad and will look to make his impact with his keen eye for goal.
The 1.86m left-footer comes with experience playing in the Serbian SuperLiga with Voždovac, and was part of Brisbane Roar’s Under-21 side, on top of being a former Bosnia Under-18 international.
Having first trained with the Sailors in the 2023 pre-season, Obren had no qualms coming over again when he got a proper offer from the club this off-season.
Nationality: Dutch
DOB/Age: 29 June 1996 (29)
Previous Clubs: FC Utrecht (2014-2016, 2019-2023), PSV Eindhoven (2016-2019)
Having honed his craft in the Dutch Eredivisie for around a decade, Bart is an exciting acquisition for the Sailors in the recent off-season. A versatile attacking midfielder who has the ability to play on either flank, or centrally in between the lines, he adds depth to the Sailors’ attack with his acceleration and superb playmaking ability.
He rose to prominence as a technically supreme midfield playmaker with PSV, winning the 2017/18 Eredivisie title and featuring in the UEFA Champions League with the Dutch giants. He had two spells with Utrecht, accumulating 130 domestic league appearances for them, before making the move to Singapore in February 2024.
Bart has also been capped thrice at international level with Holland – this includes a start in their 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Luxembourg in November 2016, where he played alongside the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Wesley Sneijder, Georginio Wijnaldum and Arjen Robben.
Nationality: Portuguese
DOB/Age: 22 March 1998 (27)
Previous Clubs: FC Porto B (2016-2019), Troyes (2019-2022), FC Paços de Ferreira (2021-2022 – loan, 2022-2023)
Rui is a defensive midfielder who spent a large portion of his youth career progressing through the ranks at FC Porto, featuring in their Under-15, U17 and U19 sides.
He was promoted to Porto’s B side to play in Liga Portugal 2, the second tier of Portuguese football, before moving permanently to French Ligue 2 side Troyes. After two seasons there, the midfielder moved back to play in the Portuguese top tier, the Primeira Liga, on loan with FC Paços de Ferreira before the deal was made permanent.
Rui previously captained Portugal’s national age-group sides on a regular basis and was called up till the U20 level. In 2017, he put up a solid display throughout the UEFA European Under-19 Championship, earning him a place in the Team of the Tournament.
After making six appearances for the Sailors in the 2023/24 AFC Champions League campaign, he is looking forward to make his mark domestically for the club in the coming Singapore Premier League season.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 22 August 1988 (37)
Previous Clubs: Tanjong Pagar United (2011, 2012-2013), Home United (2012, 2018-2019), Geylang International (2014-2015), Warriors FC (2016-2017)
Well-known as a speed merchant, Hafiz forged himself a reputation as a dangerous and tricky winger in his younger days. He has since done well to transform himself into a steady and committed full-back, who is capable of putting in crunching tackles as well as whipping in dangerous crosses from his flank.
Now the senior statesman at the Sailors, Hafiz is still going strong and enjoys the opportunity to impart his knowledge to the younger ones at the club. Having played for the club 91 times between 2020 to 2023, the veteran is now close to becoming the first player to make a century of appearances for the Sailors.
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Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 23 April 1992 (32)
Previous Clubs: Home United, Woodlands Wellington
A bit of a sports fanatic who dallied with badminton and track and field, Hui Xin gave football a go with friends when in primary school and was hooked by the camaraderie and team dynamics of football.
The sport took her on a journey of highs and lows that featured a Direct Schools Admission (DSA) entry into Victoria Junior College, stints with Home United – the previous iteration of the Lion City Sailors – and Woodlands Wellington.
A midfield enforcer who possesses superb playmaking abilities, Hui Xin is a real leader in this young Sailors side and her years of experience comes in handy to help guide the rising talents of the Singapore women’s game.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 16 December 1998 (27)
Previous Clubs: Young Lions (2015-2018), Home United (2019), Young Lions (2020-2021)
An elegant midfield playmaker who always seems to have an extra yard of space on the ball and has the vision to produce defence-splitting passes, Hami has long been viewed as one of the most accomplished local midfielders since making his professional debut in 2016.
Only turning 25 this year, he already has more than 150 professional club appearances under his belt and is now going into his ninth season in the Singapore Premier League.
Hami enjoyed an excellent 2019 season with Home United – the former iteration of the Sailors – scoring the decisive penalty to help the club win the Community Shield, and also netting a long-range scorcher on his AFC Cup debut. Hami has since kicked on to be a regular in the Singapore national team and is already a lynchpin in the Sailors’ engine room.
