‘Very proud of her’: Chef Wan celebrates granddaughter Isabella Saffiya O’Luanaigh’s Malaysia football breakthrough after 9-0 Saudi Arabia rout

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — Celebrity chef Datuk Redzuawan Ismail, better known as Chef Wan, has celebrated his 14-year-old granddaughter Isabella Saffiya O’Luanaigh after she was named in Malaysia’s Under-17 women’s football squad.

O’Luanaigh was among the final 22 players selected for the 2026 Piala Srikandi Merdeka in Kudus, Indonesia, where Malaysia has progressed to the semi-finals.

“My granddaughter Isabella Saffiya is now one of our national football team representing our country,” Chef Wan wrote on Threads.

The celebrity chef admitted, however, that football is not exactly his area of expertise — and that it took updates from his family for the significance of O’Luanaigh’s achievement to fully sink in.

“As I am not a football fan, I knew very little about the game,” he wrote. “When Rina texted me and Qamal sent me all these media write-ups, baru lah saya tahu.”

Chef Wan said his daughter Serina had also sent him photographs from Indonesia after Malaysia recorded a thumping 9-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in their final group match at the Super Soccer Arena in Kudus.

“Just a few days ago in Indonesia, their team scored nine goals against Saudi Arabia, according to my daughter Serina, who sent me all these photos,” he wrote.

“Congratulations to Isabella and her team for their achievement. Very proud of her. Alhamdulilah.”

The victory was all the more impressive as Malaysia were reduced to 10 players in the 21st minute after Dishanna Nagarajan Pillay was shown a red card.

The result saw the side coached by Fairuz Montana Zainal Abidin finish ahead of Hong Kong on goal difference after both teams ended the group stage with four points, securing Malaysia a place in the semi-finals.

O’Luanaigh, who wears the No. 11 jersey, plays in midfield.

She is the daughter of Chef Wan’s daughter Serina Redzuawan and her former husband Gavin Edward O’Luanaigh. The former couple also have a son, Tristan Tareef O’Luanaigh.

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