S. Rajagopal: Football fraternity rallies for tribute

SINGAPORE – At his peak, S. Rajagopal weaved magic with his wand-like left foot and sent crowds home with a smile.

Nicknamed “The Camel” for his stamina and galloping runs down the flanks, the 1977 Malaysia Cup winner also consistently confounded defenders and goalkeepers with his banana kicks from corners and set pieces.

The memories from Singapore football’s heydays remain clear as day for Rajagopal, even if the 77-year-old sometimes struggles to remember what meals he had for the day, or who he met during the week.

The former Lions winger was diagnosed with dementia in July 2025 and is currently based in Rizal, the Philippines.

To help ease his financial difficulties, former national footballers and friends have united to organise a fund-raising concert in November, and they are appealing for public support to help the legendary Camel get back on his feet.

The efforts are led by former national footballer William Liu, 78, who played in the 1966 Malaysia Cup and was teammates with him in the Special Constabulary football team during the 70s and early 80s.

Titled “Thanks for the memories”, the mini concert in aid of Rajagopal will be held on Nov 17 at the Serangoon Gardens Country Club. It will feature Singapore rock band Jerry & The NeuFaces, whose frontman and vocalist Jerry Fernandez is Rajagopal’s long-time friend.

Noting that Rajagopal is a legend who blazed the trail for local football, Liu explained that the former player’s condition meant that he could not take on a job. A fund-raising target of $60,000 has been set, though they hope to raise more to help other former national players.

Liu added: “The main motivation for the project stems from the plight of ex-national players, exemplified by Rajagopal, who are struggling in their later years due to various reasons. Many lacked long-term career opportunities after retiring, before football turned professional.

“Hopefully this event will raise awareness and recognition in the eyes of the authorities and public and help to kick-start a bigger initiative in aid of other needy ex-nationals. We hope sports-loving companies and individuals and national associations will come forward to support a worthy cause and show that Singaporeans are compassionate and giving.

“Raja was a special player and a good friend of ours and we want to make sure he gets all the help he can.”

In a meeting with The Sunday Times at the Singapore Cricket Club on July 17, Rajagopal – who was accompanied by his 53-year-old Filipina wife Melody Felipe – said he was grateful for the support from his friends .

Owing to his dementia, remembering daily routines and people can be a struggle, but Rajagopal can still reel off the names of some of his teammates such as Quah Kim Song and the late Dollah Kassim, as well as former Lions head coach Choo Seng Quee.

After retiring from the sport in the 1980s, he worked various jobs in Singapore and Johor Bahru. He then invested most of his money to start a logistics firm, which ran into difficulty during the Covid-19 pandemic and shuttered.

It was during this time that he met Felipe, and the pair moved to the Philippines in 2022 as he found it tough to cope with living expenses here.

He returns to Singapore every few months for his medical appointments at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he was diagnosed with onset dementia a year ago.

The costs of his flights and accommodation at a local hotel are often covered by Liu, who is the former president and chief executive officer of global distributions systems firm Abacus International.

Felipe told ST that her husband receives “a few hundred dollars” in monthly CPF payouts, while she makes about $200 a month from her e-commerce business.

Felipe, who is now his caregiver, said: “He is not able to remember many things. For example, he does not remember meetings or medical appointments. And he will need a lot of reminders that we are going out to meet someone or that we need to go for an appointment.

“Sometimes he will also forget that he had taken something from the cupboard, like clothes.”

Quah, 74, and former Lions skipper Leong Kok Fann, 68, are some of the former teammates who will be showing their support at the tribute concert.

Quah told ST: “Raja could do things with style and precision that not many others could. He has contributed so much (to Singapore football) that the least we can do is try and help him while we can.”

Many fans from the 1970s would remember Rajagopal in his heyday. An entertainer on and off the pitch, the colourful attacking full-back was often seen in a cowboy hat and enjoyed his best years with the national team from 1975 to 1977, culminating in their 3-2 Malaysia Cup victory over Penang in extra time for Singapore’s first success in the competition since independence.

Rajagopal was a footballer who inspired the young and energised the old, said Leong, who grew up in Winstedt Drive, which was just opposite the former’s home.

They played together in the Malaysia Cup in the late 1970s and early 80s and as teammates in Cairnhill FC, whom Rajagopal helped gain promotion to the local league’s Division 1, recalled Leong.

“He always looked after the younger players,” he added.

“Many of the players looked up to Raja as their mentor and hero. During our Cairnhill days, everyone knew and talked about the team because it was quite popular in the area and Raja was a shining star for the community.

“This initiative is not charity. It’s a grateful community coming together to honour an exceptional talent who has his own unique ways, his own unique personality, and brought a lot of joy to Singapore and the community.”

Concert in aid of S. Rajagopal

Nov 17, 2026, 7pm

Serangoon Gardens Country Club

Gold sponsorship table (10pax) - $5,000

Silver sponsorship table (10pax) - $2,000

Bronze sponsorship table (10pax) - $1,000

Single seats at $100 and $200

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