Thanabalan Nadarajah


Thanabalan a/l Nadarajah is a Malaysian professional footballer who plays as forward for Malaysia Super League club Kedah and the Malaysia U-23 national team. In 2013, Thanabalan has signed five-year contract with Negeri Sembilan and featured in the Negeri Sembilan U-21 and later promoted to the senior team in 2014 and was given shirt number 32. During 2015 season, Thanabalan was allocated the number 33 shirt.
Thanabalan made his competitive debut for Negeri Sembilan against DRB-Hicom on 24 January 2014 in the Liga Premier home match at Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium. He played for 68 minutes before being replaced by Fauzi Nan.
Thanabalan made his first appearance of the 2015 season as a substitute in Negeri Sembilan's opening Liga Premier match, a 1–1 draw at home against Kuantan.
Originated from Kampung Sagga, Rantau in the state of Negeri Sembilan, Thanabalan the oldest child of S. Nadarajah, who is paralysed from the chest down following a road accident in 2013 and V. Thirusundari a housewife. He has a younger brother and a younger sister, Keeteswaran and Keerthikaa. Thanabalan was part of the national team that qualified for the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship that will take place in China after scored 2 goals in 3 appearances during qualification matches.
As a child Thanabalan regularly played football at school field of Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil, Sungai Gadut, Seremban who trained by his own father. He later further his education to Tunku Ismail Sports School in Johor.
Thanabalan has a girlfriend who is studying law at local college.
Thanabalan made 6 appearances and 4 goals in 2017 Southeast Asian Games. He has played in the final against Thailand which Malaysia lost 0–1 due to an own goal scored by Malaysian keeper Haziq Nadzli.

Career statistics

Club

International goals

Malaysia Under-23

#DateVenueOpponentResultGoal ScoredCompetition
1.20 March 2017 Police Officers Club Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates1–11Dubai Cup
2.26 March 2017Theab Awana, Dubai, United Arab Emirates3–11Dubai Cup
3.13 July 2017Shah Alam Stadium, Malaysia2–01Friendly
4.19 July 2017National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand3–012018 AFC U-23 Championship qualification
5.23 July 2017National Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand2–012018 AFC U-23 Championship qualification
6.16 August 2017Shah Alam Stadium, Malaysia2–11Football at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games
7.21 August 2017Shah Alam Stadium, Malaysia3–12Football at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games
8.26 August 2017Shah Alam Stadium, Malaysia1–01Football at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games
9.20 January 2018Kunshan Stadium, Kunshan, China1–212018 AFC U-23 QF

Honours

Club

;Kedah
Malaysia U-23