Meet Lim You, The 14-Year-Old Malaysian Star Who Just Scored Seven Goals Against Saudi Arabia
The Malaysia U-16 forward is already drawing comparisons with Mohamed Salah after a stunning performance at the 2026 Srikandi Merdeka Cup.
- Lim You, a 14-year-old Malaysian-American striker, scored seven goals in a stunning 9-0 win over Saudi Arabia.
- Six of her seven goals came from outside the box, drawing comparisons to Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah.
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.
Malaysia may have found one of its most exciting young football prospects in 14-year-old Lim You.
The Malaysian Under 16 striker stole the show at the 2026 Srikandi Merdeka Cup in Indonesia after scoring seven goals in Malaysia’s emphatic 9-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (18 August).
Her remarkable performance has already caught the attention of football fans, with some comparing her left-footed finishing and goalscoring ability to Liverpool legend and Egypt captain Mohamed Salah.
And while comparisons to a global football superstar may seem premature, Lim certainly gave fans plenty of reason to sit up and take notice.
Seven goals, one unforgettable night
Lim opened the scoring in the eighth minute before adding two more goals in the 22nd and 27th minutes to complete her hat-trick before half-time.
She was far from finished.
After the break, the youngster added another four goals, including a penalty, to take her personal tally to seven.
Her goals came in the 57th, 75th, 83rd and 85th minutes, according to the Football Association of Malaysia’s match record.
Teammates Mia Alysa and Ku Nur Qaleysha completed Malaysia’s nine-goal rout.
Even more impressively, Malaysia played much of the match with 10 players after Dishanna Pillay was sent off in the 21st minute.
Despite being a player down, Malaysia continued to dominate, recording 63 per cent possession and 24 attempts, with 14 on target.
Lim’s seven-goal haul is also being reported as a landmark achievement for Malaysian women’s football, with local reports describing it as the first time a Malaysian female player has scored seven goals in an official international match.
So, who exactly is Lim You?
Lim is only 14, but she has already spent much of her young football career developing in the United States.
The youngster began her football journey at XF Academy in the US, before going on to represent Malaysia at international level.
She is eligible to represent Malaysia through her Malaysian-American heritage and was among a group of overseas-based dual-heritage youngsters brought into the national youth setup this year.
Earlier this month, Lim was named among 25 players called up by Malayan Tigress U-17 head coach Fairuz Montana Zainal Abidin for a centralised training camp ahead of the Srikandi Merdeka Cup. She was joined by fellow dual-heritage players Sofia Jeanne Lacasse and Dishanna Pillay.
Why the Salah comparison?
It is not difficult to see why fans have started making the comparison.
Lim is a left-footed attacker who showed remarkable confidence shooting from a distance against Saudi Arabia. Six of her seven goals came from outside the box, including a free-kick, highlighting both her power and accuracy.
Salah, of course, has built his reputation partly on his lethal left foot, ability to cut inside from the right and knack for producing goals from seemingly impossible positions.
For Lim, however, the Salah comparisons are best treated as a compliment rather than a burden.
At just 14, she is only beginning her international career.
View on Threads
A bright future for Malaysian women’s football
Lim’s breakout performance comes at an important time for Malaysia’s women’s football development.
The 2026 Srikandi Merdeka Cup, held in Kudus, Central Java from 14 to 23 August, features eight teams; Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and two Indonesian sides.
The tournament is also serving as an important development platform for young players ahead of future international competitions.
Malaysia’s 9-0 victory secured a place in the semi-finals, with the team finishing second in Group A on goal difference after collecting four points.
For Lim, the next challenge will be to show that her incredible seven-goal performance was not simply a one-off.
But for one night in Indonesia, the teenager announced herself in spectacular fashion.
And if Malaysian football is lucky, this could be the beginning of a very interesting journey for Lim You.
Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, X, Instagram, or Threads.
