‘Very proud of her’: Chef Wan celebrates granddaughter Isabella Saffiya O’Luanaigh’s Malaysia football breakthrough after 9-0 Saudi Arabia rout

Chef Wan, the renowned celebrity chef, expressed his pride in his granddaughter Isabella Saffiya O’Luanaigh after she was selected for Malaysia’s Under-17 women’s football team. The 14-year-old midfielder was one of 22 players chosen to represent Malaysia at the 2026 Piala Srikandi Merdeka in Kudus, Indonesia, where they advanced to the semi-finals following a resounding 9-0 win over Saudi Arabia.

Chef Wan, whose real name is Datuk Redzuawan Ismail, admitted that he is not a football aficionado, as he explained on social media platform Threads. He learned about O’Luanaigh’s selection through updates from his family, stating, “As I am not a football fan, I knew very little about the game. When Rina texted me and Qamal sent me all these media write-ups, baru lah saya tahu” (and only then did I realize).

The chef’s daughter, Serina Redzuawan, shared photographs of the team’s victory in Indonesia, where Malaysia scored a staggering nine goals against Saudi Arabia. Chef Wan, expressing his elation, wrote, “Very proud of her. Alhamdulilah” (All praise is due to Allah). The triumph was particularly remarkable, as Malaysia started the match with 10 players following a red card issued to Dishanna Nagarajan Pillay in the 21st minute.

Nonetheless, the team, coached by Fairuz Montana Zainal Abidin, secured the top spot with Hong Kong on goal difference, advancing to the semi-finals. Isabella, donning the No. 11 jersey, plays as a midfielder and is the daughter of Chef Wan’s daughter Serina and her former husband, Gavin Edward O’Luanaigh.