Singapore football is riding a wave of renewed energy, and if head coach Gavin Lee has his way, that momentum is only just beginning. After a dramatic run that secured the nation’s place at the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, the Lions are now turning their focus to Southeast Asia’s biggest football stage: the ASEAN Hyundai Cup this July and August.

For Singapore fans, it feels like the start of something special again. Last November delivered one of the most memorable nights in modern Singapore football. Under Lee’s guidance, the Lions defeated Hong Kong national football team 2–1 in a match that sealed a historic qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup. The milestone carries deep meaning. Singapore’s last appearance at the continental championship came back in 1984, when the nation hosted the tournament, making this the first time the team has ever qualified on merit.

For Lee, who initially stepped in as interim coach after replacing Tsutomu Ogura, the whirlwind months since that victory have been surreal. “It’s been a crazy past few months,” Lee reflects. “Sometimes you just need to take a step back and digest everything that has happened. But it’s been an honour and a privilege, and I’m excited to keep going.”

Despite the historic breakthrough, Lee insists the team is treating it as the beginning rather than the destination. “The Asian Cup is a huge stage,” he says. “But after that night in Hong Kong, we told ourselves — this is only the start of a new journey.”

Next up: the ASEAN Hyundai Cup, Southeast Asia’s most passionate football tournament. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, the competition has evolved from a short centralized tournament into a region-wide spectacle played across major cities in Southeast Asia.

For Singapore, the tournament carries proud memories. The Lions have lifted the trophy four times — in 1998, 2004, 2007 and 2012 — making them the second most successful team in the competition’s history. Some of those moments remain etched in the country’s sporting memory.

In the 2007 final against Thailand national football team, the old National Stadium in Kallang was packed to the rafters while over a million viewers tuned in on local television — roughly a quarter of Singapore’s population at the time. “That buzz around the country — those are fantastic memories,” Lee says. “You walk around after the nation wins and you feel that pride.”

This year’s tournament promises intense competition. Singapore have been drawn in Group A, where they will face defending champions Vietnam national football team, regional giants Indonesia national football team, and either Timor-Leste national football team or Brunei national football team.

The Lions will open their campaign on 24 July against Cambodia, setting the tone for what Lee hopes will be another memorable chapter. Part of the magic of the ASEAN tournament, he believes, lies in the rivalries that make every match feel personal. “It ignites so many emotions and so much fan support,” Lee says. “That’s what makes it such a fantastic tournament.”

For Lee, success won’t come from hype or expectations — it will come from shared belief within the squad. He is adamant that ambition must come from the players themselves. “There’s no point in me sitting down and saying we’re going to do this or that,” he explains. “If the group doesn’t believe it, then there’s no point.”

Instead, he wants the team to define their own goals together — and build the culture needed to achieve them. The Asian Cup qualification has already shown what’s possible. “It proves that anything can happen when you have a group of players willing to commit and sacrifice for a common goal,” Lee says.

Despite the excitement surrounding the ASEAN Hyundai Cup, Lee refuses to look too far ahead. His philosophy is simple: stay present. “Our mantra has always been one game at a time,” he says. “There’s no point looking too far ahead if we forget the job right in front of us.”

Between now and July, the Lions will play several international matches designed to sharpen the squad before the regional tournament begins. Every training session, every game, Lee believes, is part of preparing for something bigger. Because if Singapore football truly is entering a new era, it will be built not on one historic win — but on the consistency that follows.