* Club domestic league appearances and goalsas of 21:22, 7 October 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10 June 2025
Hector Alexander Hevel Serrano (born 15 May 1996) is a Dutch professional footballer who last played as a midfielder for Malaysia Super League club Johor Darul Ta'zim.[1] A former Dutch youth international, he played for the Malaysia national team twice.[2] However, he is currently suspended from all football related activities after being sanctioned by FIFA in September 2025 for providing forged documents related to his Malaysian ancestry.
In January 2017, Hevel signed with Cypriot First Division club AEK Larnaca, where he played 74 league matches and scored five goals over three and a half seasons. During his tenure, he contributed to the team's success in winning the 2017–18 Cypriot Cup and the 2018 Cypriot Super Cup.[3]
FC Andorra
In October 2020, Hevel joined FC Andorra, competing in Spain's Segunda División B. He played a pivotal role in the team's promotion to the Segunda División in the 2021–22 season, making 83 league appearances and netting 11 goals during his time with the club.[4]
FC Cartagena
In June 2023 Hevel signed a contract with fellow Spanish Segunda División side FC Cartagena, where he made 15 league appearances.[5]
In March 2025, it was reported that Hevel had been called up to the Malaysia national team due to claims of eligibility through descent. His club Portimonense announced his call-up on social media, indicating that he would join the Malaysia squad for the upcoming international fixtures.[7]
Hevel made his international debut for Malaysia on 25 March 2025 in a 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification match against Nepal, held at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri. He started as a central midfielder and scored the opening goal in the 29th minute, a deflected long-range strike that gave Malaysia a 1–0 lead in the first half.[13] The goal capped off an organised build-up sequence and effective second-ball control.[14][15] Hevel expressed gratitude for the support from teammates and coaching staff, stating that the short acclimatisation period required him to quickly adapt through active communication and training-ground collaboration.[16] He described the debut as one of the most memorable moments of his career and conveyed excitement about contributing to Malaysia’s footballing ambitions.[14] A technical issue during the match resulted in his goal not being recorded in the official video broadcast.[17]
In September 2025, Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), Hevel, and six other Malaysian heritage players were sanctioned by FIFA due to falsification and forgery of documents regarding the seven players' eligibility to play for Malaysia in the third round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Vietnam. Each player was fined CHF 2,000 (around MYR 10,560) and were suspended from all football related activities for 12 months. FAM has confirmed it will file an appeal against FIFA's ruling.[18][19]
Style of play
Hevel is recognised for his technical proficiency and positional versatility in midfield. Capable of operating in both central and attacking roles, he contributes to ball distribution, build-up play, and transitional phases. His style of play is marked by spatial awareness, accurate passing, and tactical intelligence.[9] Following his international debut for Malaysia in March 2025, local media noted his composure, effective distribution, and involvement in attacking build-up. His performance also drew comparisons among supporters to the playing style of Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes, particularly for his creativity and control in the attacking third.[15][20]
Personal life
Born in Netherlands, Hevel claimed to be of Malaysian descent through his grandfather, who was said to originally hail from Malacca, Malaysia.[21]
FIFA recently launched an investigation through its Disciplinary Committee where it was found that Hevel's grandfather was born in The Hague, Netherlands, not in Malacca, Malaysia.[22]
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