Teen who died in goalpost mishap dreamt of becoming pro footballer

SINGAPORE — Like many budding footballers, Muhammad Hambali Sumathi dreamt of becoming a professional footballer. But a routine move during a physical education lesson in school on Monday (April 24) took a tragic turn.

A promising goalkeeper who was part of the school team, Hambali was playing football with his classmates at Geylang Methodist Secondary School in the morning when he jumped for the crossbar of the goalpost and hung onto it – only for the goalpost to collapse on the 13-year-old.

Hambali, who suffered serious head injuries, was conveyed to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead despite paramedics’ attempts to resuscitate him.

The eldest child, Hambali lived in a one-room flat at Aljunied Crescent with his parents and two younger siblings. His parents were distraught when TODAY visited his home on Monday evening.

His father Sumathi Abdul Hamid, 54, who works in housekeeping, said the school’s principal had called him before 10am informing him of the accident. He rushed to the hospital and was told by the doctor that Hambali was not breathing.

“Moments later, the doctor returned and said they have tried their best but could not revive him,” he said.

“I was just very sad. I asked the doctor if I could see his body and saw that it was lifeless. He told me his ambition is to be a professional footballer. But it’s all over now.”

Hambali’s mother, Mdm Rajimah Sumati, a 49-year-old housewife, was teary-eyed as she described her son as “a jovial character (who) liked to crack jokes”. “He enjoys playing football since his primary school days and I was told that he was very good at it.”

His friends and teammates described Hambali as a promising player with skills beyond his years. Benjamin Yeong, 16, first met the teen through a boys’ football club, Youth Guidance Ethos, which they joined last year.

“During warm-ups, he would rally all of us and crack jokes to lighten the mood. But he always takes the matches seriously,” he said.

Another teammate, Mohd Haider Mohd Helmi Sik, 16, said Hambali was really passionate about the game and hardly conceded any goals.

Geylang Methodist Secondary School principal Wee Tat Chuen said the school was “deeply saddened by this tragedy”.

“The student was an active and friendly boy who loved soccer,” he said. “The school is in touch with the student’s family, and is also providing the necessary support to students and staff affected.”

When TODAY visited the school on Monday afternoon, several people were on the field examining the structure of the collapsed goalpost.

The school field has since been closed to facilitate police investigations. Police have classified the case as unnatural death.

He will be buried on Tuesday afternoon at the Chua Chu Kang Muslim cemetery.