Datuk Arumugam Rengasamy (also known as Spiderman) was a legendary Malaysian national football player from Selangor. His long arms and difficult saves earned him the nickname "Spiderman". He was born on 31 January 1953 in Port Klang, Selangor. He started his football career at a young age.

Datuk
Arumugam Rengasamy
AMN PJN

Personal information
Full name	Arumugam a/l Rengasamy
Date of birth	31 January 1953[1]
Place of birth	Port Klang, Selangor, Federation of Malaya
Date of death	18 December 1988(1988-12-18) (aged 35)
Place of death	Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1971–1988	Selangor
National team‡
1973–1986	Malaysia	142	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 March 2021

Career

He made his debut for Selangor FA when he was 18 years old in the Burnley Cup Youth Tournament in 1971. He represented Selangor FA in the Malaysia Cup tournament from 1972 to 1988, a period during which Selangor FA won the Malaysia Cup ninth times.

International

R. Arumugam was called up to the Malaysia national football team in 1973 for the World Cup qualifying round matches in Seoul, South Korea. During his time with the national team, Malaysia won the Merdeka Tournament in 1973, 1974, 1976, 1979 and 1986. He also represented Malaysia in the 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983 and 1985 Sea Games. He won a bronze medal with the national team during the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran. Malaysia also qualified for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, but Malaysia decided to boycott the Games. R. Arumugam recorded 196 caps (not all A class international matches), 142 matches is against full national team.[2] His personal goal was to earn 200 caps. He retired in 1986.

On 17 September 2014, FourFourTwo list him on their list of the top 25 Malaysian footballers of all time with Chow Chee Keong for national goalkeeper positions.[3][4]

In 2022, IFFHS list him on their list of the top 25 goalkeepers with most clean-sheets in national team which he had a total of 50 clean-sheets and the first Southeast Asia player that appear on the list.[5]

After retirement

In 1983, he formed his own club, Starbrite SC, as part of his personal contribution to the youngsters in his housing area.[6]

Death and legacy

R. Arumugam died in a car accident at Federal Highway near Petaling Jaya on 18 December 1988. His wife survived the incident with his two daughters, Maria Selvie, and two daughters, Subha Arumugam and Rubha Arumugam.

In recognition of his services to both state and nation, the Football Association of Selangor and Public Bank, where Arumugam had been employed, started a trust fund in his name on 5 January 1989. On 4 June 2011, Yang Dipertuan Agong posthumously awarded him the Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN), which carries the title "Datuk".

The character of Muthu Kumar in Ola Bola, a 2016 film chronicling the Malaysian national team's road to the 1980 Olympic qualifiers, was based on Arumugam.[7]

Honours

Club

F.A. Selangor

• First Division (1):

Champion: 1984

• Malaysia Cup (9):

Winner: 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986

• Charity Cup (Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup) (2):

Winner: 1985, 1987

International

• Pestabola Merdeka (5)

Winners: 1973, 1974, 1976, 1979, 1986

• SEA Games (2)

Winners: 1977, 1979

Runners-up: 1981

• Asian Games

Bronze Medal: 1974

Individual

• AFC Asian All Stars: 1982,[8] 1985[9]
• AFC Century Club 1999[10][11]
• OCM Hall of Fame 2004[12]
• Goal.com The best Malaysia XI of all time: 2020[13]
• FIFA Century Club 2021[14][15]

Records

• Malaysia national football team all-time most clean-sheets: 50[5]
• Southeast Asia all-time most clean-sheets in national team: 50[5]
• The first Asian footballers to reach 50 clean-sheets in national team: (1973–1986)[5]

Orders

•  Malaysia :
  • Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (A.M.N.) (1980)[16]
  • Commander of the Order of Meritorious Service (P.J.N.) — Datuk (2011—posthumously)[16]

See also

• List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps

References

External links

• Biodata at Selangorfc.com (in Malay)
• Biodata at F.A.S Online