Khairin Nadim

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Nadim is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Khairin.

Khairin Nadim

Personal information
Full name	Khairin Nadim bin Rahim
Date of birth	(2004-05-08) 8 May 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth	Singapore
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Right winger, forward
Team information
Current team	Vizela (on loan from Lion City Sailors)
Number	19
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2023	Young Lions	49	(7)
2023–	Lion City Sailors U21	0	(0)
2023–2024	→ Young Lions (loan)	16	(1)
2025–	→ Vizela (loan)	0	(0)
International career^‡
2019–2021	Singapore U16	2	(2)
2022–	Singapore U19	4	(1)
2021–	Singapore U23	6	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:04, 1 March 2020 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 May 2022

Khairin Nadim bin Rahim (born 08 May 2004) is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Liga Portugal 2 club Vizela, on loan from Lion City Sailors. He was part of Goal Singapore's NxGn 2020 list as one of the country's biggest talents.[1]

At 16 years and 194 days, Khairin became the youngest Singapore Premier League goalscorer of all time with his opening goal against Tampines Rovers on 17 November 2020 where he also become the youngest player ever to score five goals in the history of the league at 16 years old. At 15 years and 298 days, Khairin Nadim is the third youngest Singapore Premier League debutant ever.

Club career

Young Lions

Khairin signed for Young Lions in 2020. He made his professional debut on 1 March 2020 in a 1–4 lost against Hougang United when he was substituted in the 75th minute.[2] At 15 years and 298 days old, he became the youngest ever debutant in Singapore Premier League history before the record was broken on 31 March 2023 by Lion City Sailors player Nathan Mao at 15 years and 5 days old.[3]

Khairin then became the third-youngest player to score in Singapore’s professional football league in the Young Lions’ 3–1 lost to Tampines in the same year, missing Singapore captain Hariss Harun’s record by just 20 days.[4] Khairin continued his fine progress and broke yet another record when he scored against Geylang International on 20 March 2021. At just 16 years and 316 days old, Khairin became the youngest player ever to score five goals in Singapore Premier League eclipsing the previous record of 17 years and 102 days set by Geylang’s Zikos Chua in 2019.[4] His performance at the start of the 2021 Singapore Premier League earned him the SPL 'Young Player of the Month' award in March 2021.[4]

Lion City Sailors

In early January 2023, Khairin was signed by Lion City Sailors where he was part of the club U21 squad. meanwhile throughout the year, he enlisted into the Singapore Armed Forces for his compulsory national services thus joining back his former club on loan in April 2024.

Vizela

On 5 February 2025, Khairin signed for Liga Portugal 2 club Vizela on a one-and-a-half year deal which he will feature primarily for Vizela’s U23 squad that competes in the Liga Revelação.

International career

Youth

Khairin represent Singapore U16 at the 2020 AFC U-16 Championship qualification in 2019.[5]

Personal life

Khairin is a childhood Liverpool fan and cited Brazilian star, Neymar as his footballing idol growing up.[6]

Career statistics

Club

As of December 2022[7]

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Young Lions	2020	Singapore Premier League	12	3	0	0	0	0	12	3
	2021	Singapore Premier League	19	3	0	0	0	0	19	3
	2022	Singapore Premier League	18	1	0	0	0	0	18	1
	2024–25	Singapore Premier League	11	1	0	0	0	0	11	1
	Total		50	8	0	0	0	0	50	8
Career total			50	8	0	0	0	0	50	8

Notes

International

U23 International caps

No	Date	Venue	Opponent	Result	Competition
1	25 October 2021	Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore	Timor-Leste	2-2 (draw)	2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification
2	28 October 2021	Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore	Philippines	1–0 (won)	2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification
3	7 May 2022	Thiên Trường Stadium, Nam Định, Vietnam	Laos	2-2 (draw)	2021 SEA Games
4	9 May 2022	Thiên Trường Stadium, Nam Định, Vietnam	Thailand	0–5 (lost)	2021 SEA Games
5	11 May 2022	Thiên Trường Stadium, Nam Định, Vietnam	Cambodia	1-0 (won)	2021 SEA Games
6	14 May 2022	Thiên Trường Stadium, Nam Định, Vietnam	Malaysia	2-2 (draw)	2021 SEA Games

U19 International caps

No	Date	Venue	Opponent	Result	Competition
1	3 July 2022	Madya Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia	Cambodia	0-1 (lost)	2022 AFF U-19 Youth Championship
2	5 July 2022	Madya Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia	Timor-Leste	0-1 (lost)	2022 AFF U-19 Youth Championship
3	7 July 2022	Madya Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia	Malaysia	0-0 (draw)	2022 AFF U-19 Youth Championship
4	9 July 2022	Madya Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia	Laos	1-3 (lost)	2022 AFF U-19 Youth Championship

U19 International goals

No	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	9 July 2022	Madya Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia	Laos	1–3	1-3 (lost)	2022 AFF U-19 Youth Championship

U17 International caps

No	Date	Venue	Opponent	Result	Competition
1	17 September 2019	Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore	Hong Kong	1-2 (lost)	2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification
2	19 September 2019	Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore	North Korea	1–6 (lost)	2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification

U17 International goals

No	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	17 September 2019	Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore	Hong Kong	1–0	1-2 (lost)	2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification
2	19 September 2019	Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore	North Korea	1–3	1–6 (lost)	2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification

References

1. "From Ilhan Fandi to Farhan Zulkifli - Meet the future of Singapore". Goal.
2. "Tampines Rovers goalkeeper Syazwan Buhari plays starring role in win". The New Paper. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
3. "Khairin Nadim, 15, becomes youngest ever SPL debutant". Singapore Premier League. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
4. "Young Lions' Khairin Nadim, 17, out to prove age is just a number". youthopia.sg. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
5. "2020 AFC U16 Championship Qualifiers: Singapore suffer 2-1 defeat to Hong Kong; DPR Korea record 16-0 win!". FOX Sports Philippines. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
6. "Neymar admirer, record breaker & schoolboy - Meet Young Lions sensation Khairin Nadim". Goal.
7. Khairin Nadim at Soccerway. Retrieved 1 March 2020.