For the first time in two years, Singapore footballer Irfan Fandi, 18, is spending more time here.
He played for Singapore in the SEA Games in June, which was held here, and had a scheduled operation on his calves the following month.
Since 2013, he and his 16-year-old brother Ikhsan - their father is home- grown football legend and LionsXII coach Fandi Ahmad - have been training and studying at Universidad Catolica, a top-tier Chilean club. They are in Chile for about three-quarters of the year.
The oldest of five siblings, Irfan is currently playing for S.League team Courts Young Lions and will return to Chile once he is back to 100 per cent.
He lives in a condominium in Seletar with his parents and siblings.
Do you typically get your weekends off back here in Singapore?
Not really. We usually have training daily and these past two months have been especially busy as we are playing for the S-League Championship. We are told when our days off only the day before, so it's hard for me to make plans.
Where is one place that is guaranteed to put you in a relaxed mood?
The beach. I enjoy the peace of the calm waters and the beautiful scenery. In Singapore, I like to head to Palawan Beach at Sentosa as it's quieter than the other beaches on the island. I try to avoid crowded places as far as possible.
What do you enjoy doing for leisure?
When I'm home resting, I like to play video games. This has been a long-time hobby, since I was young, and I can play games such as Fifa and Call Of Duty for up to seven hours. I even take my PlayStation 4 console when I go overseas for more than a week. It helps me relax and escape reality.
If you could hang out for a weekend with anyone, who would it be?
Portugese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. He takes his football very seriously so it would be interesting to find out what he gets up to on his days off. The man has everything so just to be by his side, who knows, I might learn something.
What's a perfect day off for you?
Spending time with my loved ones. I would start the day by meeting my girlfriend and just chill with her, before topping off the day with my family.
Gurveen Kaur
