R. Sasikumar
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{short description|Singaporean footballer}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = R. Sasikumar
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Ramu Sasikumar
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Singapore
| height = 1.93m
| position = Defender
| collegeyears1 =
| college1 =
| youthyears1 = 1994
| youthclubs1 = Gibraltar Crescent
| years1 = 1995
| clubs1 = Singapore FA
| years2 = 1996
| clubs2 = Singapore Armed Forces
| years3 = 1996-1997
| clubs3 = Geylang United
| years4 = 1998-2001
| clubs4 = Home United
| years5 = 2002
| clubs5 = Jurong Town
| years6 = 2003
| clubs6 = Tampines Rovers
| years7 = 2004
| clubs7 = Home United
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| nationalyears1 = 1995–2000
| nationalteam1 = Singapore
| nationalcaps1 = 16
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| pcupdate =
| ntupdate =
}}
Ramu Sasikumar, or R. Sasikumar for short, is a retired Singaporean footballer. He is known for scoring the winning and solitary goal for Singapore in the 1998 AFF Championship Final which secures Singapore first ever continental title. He currently manages the Red Card Group, a sports marketing firm.{{cite news|last1=Sundaresan|first1=Keeshaanan|title=Exclusive: One on One with R. Sasikumar|url=http://www.fourthofficial.com/2014/3836/exclusive-one-on-one-with-r-sasikumar/|accessdate=11 November 2016|work=FourthOfficial.com|date=19 November 2014}}
Playing career
Sasikumar became famous after the final of the 1998 AFF Championship, when Singapore played against hosts Vietnam. In the 70th minute, he scored a goal with his shoulder, which was dubbed the "Shoulder of God",{{Cite web|title='Kadir and I nearly came to blows!' - R.Sasikumar, the scorer of the winning goal at 1998 Tiger Cup {{!}} Goal.com|url=https://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/3880/singapore/2012/11/15/3525382/kadir-and-i-nearly-came-to-blows-rsasikumar-the-scorer-of|access-date=6 January 2022|website=www.goal.com}} which won the Lions their first ever international title and breaking Vietnamese hearts.{{cite web | url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/on-the-record-r-sasikumar-former-lion-football-critic-9220078 | title=On the Record: R Sasikumar, former Lion, football critic, entrepreneur | accessdate=14 July 2020}}
In 2000, Sasikumar retired from international football after Singapore exited the 2000 AFF Championship from the group stage.
International goals
| class="wikitable"
!No !Date !Venue !Opponent !Result !Competition |
| align="center" |1
|5 September 1998 |Hanoi Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam |{{fb|VIE}} | align="center" |0–1 |
After football
After retiring from football, Sasikumar founded the Red Card Group, a sports marketing firm.{{Cite web|title=R Sasikumar throws hat into FAS elections|url=https://www.todayonline.com/sports/football/r-sasikumar-throws-hat-fas-elections|access-date=6 January 2022|website=TODAY|language=en}}
In 2017, Sasikumar expressed interest in contesting the elections for the Football Association of Singapore council but was not named as a candidate.{{Cite web|last=Auto|first=Hermes|date=29 April 2017|title=Football: Team LKT wins FAS election, Lim Kia Tong is new chief of Singapore football {{!}} The Straits Times|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-team-lkt-wins-fas-election-lim-kia-tong-is-new-chief-of-singapore-football|access-date=6 January 2022|website=www.straitstimes.com|language=en}}
Sasikumar also bought Admiralty in the 2nd division of the Singapore National Football League where his first signing was Senegalese-born Kampung Rawa player who was also named R.Sasikumar.{{Cite web|date=21 June 2019|title=R. Sasikumar, Red Card Global|url=https://www.moneyfm893.sg/guest/r-sasikumar-red-card-global/|access-date=6 January 2022|website=MONEY FM 89.3}}
Honours
Geylang United
- S-League: 1996{{cite news|last1=Singh|first1=Santokh|title=Geylang it is as Iranian Estili nets winning goal|url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19961110-1.2.60.1|work=The Straits Times|date=10 November 1996|page=44}}
Home United
Singapore
- Tiger Cup: 1998{{cite news|title=Football: Insiders reveal how the Lions won each of their 4 AFF Championships
|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-insiders-reveal-how-the-lions-won-each-of-their-4-aff-championships|work=The Straits Times|date=2 December 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sasikumar, R.}}
Category:Singaporean men's footballers
Category:Singapore men's international footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Singaporean people of Tamil descent
Category:Singaporean sportspeople of Indian descent
Category:Year of birth missing
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