By Harry Izzdin
KUCHING: Josh Brownhill, captain of Burnley FC, has taken to social media to address and dispel rumours regarding his nationality, which had been circulating in connection with Malaysia.
The 29-year-old midfielder, who has been a vital part of Burnley since 2020, clarified that he is solely of English nationality.
In a statement posted on his Instagram Story, Brownhill remarked, “I just wanted to address the situation of some rumours that have been circulating. Unfortunately, my only nationality is English, and I am not Malaysian, as some people may think.
I’m not quite sure how this all started, but I wanted to clear it up. Thanks for the support, regardless.”
His comments were in response to a wave of social media speculation, where fans mistakenly believed he had Malaysian heritage, leading to conjecture about his potential eligibility for the Harimau Malaya national team.
The source of this dubious speculation derived from an X (formerly Twitter) post by frfuturetalents dated on Sept 7 where they stated, “ We received an email reply from Josh Brownhill confirming that he has Malaysian roots through his grandmother and will consider reprensenting Malaysia!
“The Burnley captain, stated that he would consider representing Malaysia with his market value of €15.00!”
Brownhill, a consistent figure in Burnley’s midfield and known for his leadership on and off the field, expressed his gratitude for the continued support from his fans.
His clarification was in response to a message from Tunku Mahkota Ismail, the Regent of Johor and owner of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), who shared an Instagram direct message exchange with the player, encouraging him to address the speculation regarding his nationality