Tom Bihr, the hero who disregarded negative energy, recounts the moment he scored the winning header against Turkmenistan, leading Thailand’s national team to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup.
In the decisive match for advancing, few would have expected Manuel Tom Bihr, the Thai-German center-back, to score the winning header that secured Thailand’s 2-1 victory over Turkmenistan, clinching the group title and advancing to the final stage of the 2027 Asian Cup as planned.
Looking back to the day he was announced to rejoin the Thailand national team after more than two years, fans voiced doubts about whether his inclusion was appropriate. However, Tom chose to ignore those criticisms.
“I was very excited to return to serve the national team after recovering from injury. Regarding the criticism, I didn’t know anything about it. I didn’t want to bring negative energy into my life, so I chose not to read it because it wouldn’t help me improve.”
On that crucial night for Thailand’s national team, Manuel earned the trust of head coach Anthony Hudson, who started him in the starting eleven.
“I prepared from the start of the camp. In training, I could see who the coach planned to start. Receiving his trust boosted my confidence a lot. I gave my 100% to repay the faith he placed in me.”
“I first met Hudson in an online meeting. What I liked most was his way of speaking with players. Secondly, his training methods are very intense, which helped us prepare well for this game. He also always listens to the players.”
Additionally, Manuel Tom Bihr described the moment he scored the crucial goal that led Thailand to victory.
“When I saw the ball coming, I only thought about heading it hard and on target. Seeing the net ripple was an incredible and almost unbelievable feeling. I could feel the energy from the fans in the stands flowing down to me. I was very happy to have scored.”
“I’m very proud to have made the fans smile. Everyone deserves that. I want fans to support us through good times and bad. Many negative things don’t help us move forward,” Tom Bihr concluded, addressing the fans.