Datuk Wira Soh Chin Ann (or Soh Chin Aun due to misspelling by Malaysian media;Chin Aun's name may be misspelt but he committed very few errors on field – The Star, 24 November 2020.M ; born 28 July 1950) is a Malaysian former footballer who played as a defender.Malaysia – Munich 1972 – FIFA.com He was affectionately known as Tauke or Towkay (Boss) by his teammates and fans.

Soh was regarded as the most capped player in men's international football, though the total varied by source. The RSSSF and IFFHS credited him with 219 appearances, a record later surpassed by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2025. FIFA, by contrast, recognised 195 official caps, a record overtaken by Bader Al-Mutawa in 2022.

Club career Soh started his football career with Malacca in 1969. He joined Selangor in 1971 and played for them until 1978 winning six Malaysia Cup titles.Soh not about to call it quits – The Straits Times, 12 November 1980. He returned to star for Malacca in 1979 and won the League Cup title in 1983 but was inactive for two years due to a one-year suspension in 1985. He captained Malacca in 1988 which was also his last appearances in the domestic league.Chin Aun returns as captain – The Straits Times, 29 June 1988.'Towkay' poser – The Straits Times, 16 January 1986.

International career National team At the age of 19, Soh earned his full international caps for Malaysia at the 1969 King's Cup.The stars to watch. – New Nation, 21 February 1977. In 1971, when he played in the Olympic qualifier in Seoul, South Korea, he was the youngest member of the national team at the age of 21. He participated in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games and playing all three group games.XX. Olympiad Munich 1972 Football Tournament – RSSSFOlympic Football Tournament Munich 1972 Germany FR – Malaysia at FIFA.comOlympic Football Tournament Munich 1972 Malaysia – USA at FIFA.comOlympic Football Tournament Munich 1972 Morocco – Malaysia at FIFA.com He also was the captain of the team that qualified for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Malaysia did not participate in boycott of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. However, because of his contribution for helping Malaysia to qualify for the Olympics, he was awarded the Ahli Mangku Negara by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He later took part in the 1980 AFC Asian Cup, where his Malaysia was eliminated from the group stage, yet Malaysia produced one of the finest performance ever under his leadership, with the team gaining a famous 1–1 draw over powerhouse South Korea; Soh gained fame as well for having an exceptional tournament, allowing him to be named into the Team of the Tournament by the AFC, the first Southeast Asian to receive such honour, a record which would stand until the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

Malaysia Selection On 11 May 1975, Soh was part of the Malaysia Selection that played against Arsenal FC in a friendly match, which the team won 2–0 at the Merdeka Stadium.Arsenal FC tour of South East Asia 1975 – RSSSF

Retirement He retired from international football in 1984 and made 250 international appearances as recorded by Football Association of Malaysia.The player with the poise – Singapore Monitor – 2nd Edition, 24 October 1984. Retrieved at 8 May 2011 Asian Football Confederation recognised his achievements and included him into AFC Century Club in February 1999.14 EX-INTERNATIONALS INDUCTED INTO AFC CENTURY CLUB – BERNAMA, 11 February 1999.National Library of Singapore.

Post-playing career He was appointed as the chairman of the referees' committee on 13 March 2007. He was the team manager (not head coach) of Malaysia national football team from 2007 until 2009.

Political engagement Soh has once constested the Parliament of Malaysia for Kota Melaka representing Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) of Barisan Nasional (BN) in 1986 but he suffered a defeat of 17,606 votes to Lim Guan Eng of Democratic Action Party (DAP). Percentage figures based on total turnout.

Election results + Parliament of MalaysiaYearConstituencyCandidateVotesPctOpponent(s)VotesPctBallots castMajorityTurnout1986P113 Kota MelakaSoh Chin Ann (MCA) 16,96732.92% (DAP) 34,57367.08% 52,840 17,606 76.54%

Personal life In 2016, he made a cameo appearance in Ola Bola as Soh Chin Aun, a character based on himself in the 1980 Moscow Olympics qualification campaign.

Career statistics

International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsMalaysia196930197012019711911972163197320119741201975190197616219771711978160197917119801911981811982001983811984171Total21913

Scores and results list Malaysia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ann goal.

+ List of international goals scored by Soh Chin AnnNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1 22 May 1971 Bangkok, Thailand 8–0 1972 AFC Asian Cup qualification2 29 July 1972 Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1–2 1972 Merdeka Tournament3 20 September 1972 Seoul, South Korea 1–0 1972 President's Cup4 22 September 1972 Seoul, South Korea 1–1 1972 President's Cup5 28 July 1973 Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1–0 1973 Merdeka Tournament6 12 August 1976 Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 5–1 1976 Merdeka Tournament7 20 August 1976 Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2–2 1976 Merdeka Tournament8 29 July 1977 Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 5–1 1977 Merdeka Tournament9 9 May 1979 Bangkok, Thailand 1–1 1980 AFC Asian Cup qualification10 2 November 1980 Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1–2 1980 Merdeka Tournament11 17 April 1981 Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1–2 Ovaltine Cup12 19 September 1983 Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium, Kota Bahru, Malaysia 7–0 1983 Merdeka Tournament13 3 April 1984 Christchurch, New Zealand 1–6 Friendly

Honours Selangor Malaysia Cup: 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978

Malacca Malaysian League: 1983

Malaysia Asian Games Bronze Medal: 1974 SEA Games: 1977, 1979 Merdeka Tournament: 1973, 1974, 1976, 1979 King's Cup: 1972, 1976, 1978 Jakarta Anniversary Tournament: 1970

Individual AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament: 1980 AFC Asian All Stars: 1982 MasterCard Asian/Oceanian Team of the 20th Century: 1998 AFC Century Club: 199914 EX-INTERNATIONALS INDUCTED INTO AFC CENTURY CLUB – BERNAMA, 11 February 1999.National Library of Singapore. OCM Hall of Fame: 2004 Asian Football Hall of Fame: 2014 Goal.com The best Malaysia XI of all time: 2020 IFFHS Men's All Time Malaysia Dream Team: 2022

Records Malaysia national football team all-time most appearances: 219 The first men's footballers to reach 200 or more international caps (according to RSSSF and IFFHS): 219 20th century most international caps in men's football (1901–2000): 219 The first Asian footballers to reach 100 or more international wins for national team: 108 The first footballers to reach 100 or more international wins for national team (1969–1984): 108

Order

Member of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (AMN) (1980)

Knight Companion of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (DIMP) – Dato' (2000)

Knight Companion of the Order of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah (DSIS) – Dato' (2016)

Knight Commander of the Exalted Order of Malacca (DCSM) – Datuk Wira (2021)

See also List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps List of progression men's association football caps record

Notes

References

External links Malaysian torchbearers of the Olympic Flame (archived 29 September 2007) Profile page at Selangorfc.com (archive 28 September 2007)