SEAToday.com, Jakarta - Persija Jakarta midfielder Hanif Sjahbandi said he does not want to be a breaker anymore. He shared this during an interview on SEA Today’s Podsea show last Saturday (7/9).

Hanif confessed that he is tired of being a breaker, a role that forces him to constantly clash with opponents during matches, as was the case during his first season with Persija.

“I’m tired of fighting all the time, man. From my time at Arema to my first season with Persija, it’s always just fights, whether it’s with foreigners or whoever,” Hanif said.

Although it might seem cool, Hanif admitted that being a breaker can strain friendships within football.

“It does look cool, right? It looks cool, haha. Every time I read the comments, they always call me the ‘Persija thug.’ But football is about relationships too, we’re friends, right? I just feel uncomfortable if, one day, we act that way and it leads to hard feelings or something. Football is supposed to be about professionalism, after all,” Hanif explained.

He pointed out that these situations could lead to awkwardness between players in future matches. “But situations like that can make things uncomfortable, especially if we end up on the same team later. It becomes awkward,” he added.

However, despite his rough playstyle, Hanif admitted that he has never suffered any injuries caused by his opponents throughout his matches.

Writer: Fariz Ahmad Luthfi