AFC Asian Cup
The son of Singapore football legend Fandi Ahmad, Ilhan has steadily emerged as one of the nation’s brightest attacking talents, combining his physical presence with pace, intelligent movement and an eye for goal.
Factfile
Age: 23
Caps: 34
Goals: 10
Club: Lion City Sailors FC (Singapore)
Age: 23
Caps: 34
Goals: 10
Club: Lion City Sailors FC (Singapore)
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Ilhan began his professional career with Young Lions before joining Albirex Niigata (S), where he enjoyed a breakthrough 2022 campaign, scoring 17 goals to finish as the Singapore Premier League's leading local scorer and earning the Young Player of the Year award.
He also helped Albirex Niigata (S) clinch the 2022 Singapore Premier League title, with his impressive form earning him a move to Belgian side KMSK Deinze.
Ilhan subsequently continued his journey in Thailand with BG Pathum United and Buriram United, where he added the 2025/26 Thai League 1, Thai FA Cup and ASEAN Club Championship titles to his collection, before returning home to join Lion City Sailors in 2026.
TriviaSingapore’s previous appearance in the AFC Asian Cup was as hosts of the 1984 edition, making their upcoming adventure at the Saudi Arabia 2027 the first on merit.
On the international stage, Ilhan has emerged as a key figure for Singapore, with his most memorable contribution coming during the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ Qualifiers Final Round.
With Singapore trailing Hong Kong, China 1-0 in their penultimate Group C fixture in November 2025, Ilhan came off the bench to set up Shawal Anuar's equaliser before unleashing a stunning long-range strike to complete a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory.
The result secured Singapore's place at the Finals for the first time since 1984 and Ilhan further underlined his growing influence during the ASEAN Championship 2026, producing a spectacular scissor-kick winner against Cambodia before finding the net again in a 2-0 victory over Timor-Leste.
With his goalscoring instincts, versatility and experience abroad, Ilhan will be expected to provide the creative spark as Singapore look to make their long-awaited return to Asia's biggest stage a memorable one.
