The Rise and Fall of A Sports Giant

THE iconic Shah Alam Sports Complex will be rebuilt from the ground up after the state government decided to move forward with a new state of the art complex.

With its 28 years of history tied to unforgettable football matches, performances and events, its presence is etched into the public psyche and has become part of the state’s identity for almost three decades.

We look back at the rise and decline of this sports giant.

A drone captures the magnitude of the stadium's deteriorating state.

From the missing parts of its once famous roof...

...to the neglect of the football pitch that once played host to famous teams, including a World Cup winning squad.

The clock at the stadium no longer keeps time on the matches.

The referees no longer call time on the game.

The stands are emptied of the fans.

Where there were once roars of support, there is now silence.

Construction of what would be the largest stadium in the country with state of the art facilities began on Jan 1, 1990, at a cost of RM460mil.

*View of the partially completed football pitch with the torch tower in the background on Sept 8, 1993.*
*View of the partially completed football pitch with the torch tower in the background on Sept 8, 1993.*

Designed by renowned Malaysian architect Hijjas Kasturi and inspired by the Poljud Stadium in Split, Croatia, the 155,000 square-metre facility was officially opened on July 16, 1994, by Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah.

*The installation of the 1.7 million cell system during construction on Oct 21, 1993.*
*The installation of the 1.7 million cell system during construction on Oct 21, 1993.*

The stadium, with its 105m by 68m football pitch, was officially home to the Selangor football team, known popularly as the "Red Giants".

*Work on the turf on Nov 10, 1995, to ensure the playing surface is good.*
*Work on the turf on Nov 10, 1995, to ensure the playing surface is good.*

Its iconic design had the longest free-standing arc-shaped roof in the world along either side of the pitch due to its unistrut 284m space-frame span.

*The stadium on June 3, 1994, about a month before opening.*
*The stadium on June 3, 1994, about a month before opening.*

When it was opened, it was equipped with the most modern facilities for live telecast of matches.

*The electronic equipment at command centre of the Shah Alam Stadium on June 3, 1994.*
*The electronic equipment at command centre of the Shah Alam Stadium on June 3, 1994.*

There was even a jacuzzi for the sportsmen and athletes to ease their pain after a match.

*The media was given a tour of the stadium, including the jacuzzi, on June 3, 1994.*
*The media was given a tour of the stadium, including the jacuzzi, on June 3, 1994.*

The six-level semi-enclosed space could accommodate 80,000 spectators at its full capacity.

*The spanking new seats in the stadium on July 21, 1994, right before opening.*
*The spanking new seats in the stadium on July 21, 1994, right before opening.*

*The huge crowd at the opening of the Shah Alam stadium on July 16, 1994*
*The huge crowd at the opening of the Shah Alam stadium on July 16, 1994*

It was the training ground for the 2002 World Cup winning Brazilian squad of legends like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos and their coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, playing with the Malaysian team as a warm-up on their way to South Korea and Japan.

*Ronaldo lets fly during a shooting drill at the Shah Alam Stadium, looked on coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and his teammates on May 21, 2002.*
*Ronaldo lets fly during a shooting drill at the Shah Alam Stadium, looked on coach Luiz Felipe Scolari and his teammates on May 21, 2002.*

As well as the stage on which famous clubs like Chelsea, Barcelona and Manchester United tussled with Malaysia's best to the delight of their local fans.