Chia Boon Leong grew up in Pasir Panjang and is a local football icon in the 50s. He is the only Singaporean footballer to play at an Olympics Games, representing China at the 1948 London Games in a 4-0 loss to Turkey.
He was aptly nicknamed “Twinkletoes” for his fancy footwork skills and tricks.
Below is a feature of his journey as a footballer, where he describes playing kampong soccer using 2 coconut trees as goal posts on the sandy beaches of Pasir Panjang. From there, the “Pasir Panjang Rovers” football team was born. Watch the video to enjoy a stroll down memory lane.
His father is Chia Yew Siang, a merchant and philanthropist who had a sprawling compound here in Pasir Panjang and with a road named after him.
Chia Boon Leong passed away on 20 Dec 2022 at the age of 97.
