Former Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia is spearheading a historic Malaysian football team currently on a world record 113-game unbeaten run. Garcia retired from playing in 2016 after a 19-year career that included spells at Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Panathinaikos and Liverpool.
From Istanbul hero to boardroom success
The attacking midfielder etched his name into Liverpool history by scoring the ghost goal against Chelsea that sent Rafael Benitez's men into the Champions League final. He then played the entire 120 minutes of the Istanbul final as the Reds launched a famous comeback against AC Milan from 3-0 down before winning on penalties.
The 48-year-old is now leaving his mark on the game from the boardroom as chief executive of Malaysian outfit Johor Darul Ta'zim. He initially worked as an ambassador for Liverpool and Barcelona and as a pundit for ESPN and beIN Sports.
Record-breaking run in Malaysia
In March 2025, Garcia took up the role with the Malaysian giants. With Garcia at the helm and former Watford manager Xisco Munoz in the dugout, Johor Darul Ta'zim are on a world record streak of 113 league matches unbeaten.
They scored 117 times in 24 Malaysia Super League matches last season, conceding just 10 goals and drawing once. They are already three points clear at the top this season and have yet to concede after five fixtures.
Garcia says his task is to grow football in the region and help the club compete against Saudi clubs in the Asian Champions League. The Malaysian champions even held Chelsea to a draw in pre-season.
Garcia's vision for the club
The former Spain international told the Daily Mail: "[The role] sort of came out of nowhere. After playing, I had done ambassadorial work for Liverpool and Barcelona, and been working for ESPN. But I always wanted to look into the business side of football. I had been in meetings and was interested in that side of the game. I flew to Malaysia to meet with His Royal Highness and then it was very quick."
"From that opportunity, I understood his vision, the work he is behind, the journey they have been through since 2012 and what he wants to achieve with Johor Darul Ta'zim. The amount of work, commitment and determination to make Johor Darul Ta'zim the biggest club in south-east Asia is incredible. You can see it straight away, winning the league 12 times in a row, reaching the Asian Champions League quarter-final last year. We are like a European club based in Malaysia, the mentality is exactly the same."
"The academy is run by coaches made in Spain. It has been perfect for me - I am extremely happy and grateful and looking forward to where we can take the club in the future."
