| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Muhammad Zainol Bin Gulam Mohamed | ||
| Date of birth | 4 February 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Singapore | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Albirex Niigata (S) | ||
| Number | 25 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008 | Sengkang Punggol | ||
| 2010 | Geylang International | ||
| 2011–2013 | Warriors FC | ||
| 2014 | Woodlands Wellington | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015 | Singapore Recreational Club | ||
| 2016–2017 | Warriors FC | 9 | (0) |
| 2018–2021 | Geylang International | 43 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Hougang United | 4 | (0) |
| 2024– | Albirex Niigata (S) | 0 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 February 2023 (UTC) | |||
Zainol Gulam is a Singaporean professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Singapore Premier League club Albirex Niigata (S). [1]
Zainol was part of Warriors FC's squad in 2016 and came on as a substitute after fellow custodian Yazid Yasin was sent off during a match against Tampines Rovers. Zainol was handed a start against Brunei DPMM for the following match and displayed a great performance as he held his opponents to a 1–1 draw.
At the end of the 2017 season, Zainol was released from the club and contemplated retirement to sign on in the civil force.
Geylang International signed Zainol for the 2018 season behind Jasper Chan. After Chan suffered an injury within his first few games. Zainol was given the nod in goal and started in Geylang's 17 league matches.
During a league match against his former club, the Warriors, at the Singapore National Stadium, Zainol made a string of saves to keep his former side at bay in a 2–0 victory, gaining him the nickname "King of Kallang".
In the 2019 Singapore Cup 3rd place play-offs against Brunei DPMM, Zainol made the winning save in the penalty shootout to help the Eagles clinch third place.
During a league match against Lion City Sailors on 18 October 2020, Zainol was sent off after performing a reckless tackle on Arshad Shamim, conceding a penalty at the same time which back-up goalkeeper Hairul Syirhan could not keep out.
Zainol, along with Geylang International, qualified for the 2021 AFC Cup group stage which was promptly cancelled in the following season.
Zainol started in goal against Lion City Sailors on 11 April 2021 at Our Tampines Hub in an 8–0 defeat to the hands of the visitors.
Zainol started only 6 out of Geylang's 14 matches at the time and declared retirement from professional football on 17 August 2021 due to the logistics behind professionalism in Singapore football. Zainol citing that football wasn't a secured job for him due to contract negotiations and decided to sign on with the Singapore Civil Defence Force. Zainol was also one out of five goalkeepers Geylang deployed in their entire league campaign.
During the 2022 Singapore Premier League season, Zainol was found wearing Hougang United's tees in the stands over the course of the season.
On 18 June 2022, Hougang United announced that Zainol had come back from retirement and signed for the Cheetahs. He was a used substitute in their 8–0 defeat against Johor Darul Ta'zim in a friendly. Zainol made his return to the league on 15 October 2022 against the Young Lions, winning 5–3. He ended his league campaign with a clean sheet against Balestier Khalsa before being substituted on for Aizil Yazid in the 81st minute.
Zainol started in all but one game in Hougang's Singapore Cup run, helping the Cheetahs to their first ever silverware.
Following the arrival of Zaiful Nizam from Geylang International, Zainol was yet again relegated back to the bench but still made appearances for the club's Under-21 Center of Excellence squad. He would then make his first start of the season against Balestier Khalsa in the second round after Zaiful suffered an injury. Zainol produced seven saves in a 3–1 loss, playing a near perfect game as he stopped several shots from close range. He made his second consecutive start of the season in a 1–0 loss against Tampines Rovers.
On 3 January 2024, Albirex Niigata Singapore announced that he has signed with the club and will served as a back up goalkeeper to his former Warriors teammate, Hassan Sunny.
Zainol was called up for training by the Singapore national team in 2019 but never made a single appearance for the Lions.
Update 23 May 2021
| Club | Season | S.League | Singapore Cup | Singapore League Cup | Asia | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Singapore Recreation Club | 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Warriors FC | 2017 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Total | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| Geylang International | 2018 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| 2019 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 43 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
Hougang United
The 2015 S.League was the 20th season since the establishment of the S.League, the top-flight Singaporean professional league for association football clubs. The league was also known as the Great Eastern Yeo's S.League due to sponsorship reasons. Warriors FC were the defending champions.
The 2015 S.League season is Geylang International's 20th season in the top flight of Singapore football and 40th year in existence as a football club. The club will also compete in the Kata Group Hotel Challenge Cup, Singapore League Cup and the Singapore Cup.
The 2016 S.League season is Geylang International's 21st season in the top flight of Singapore football and 42nd year in existence as a football club. The club will also compete in the Singapore League Cup and the Singapore Cup.
The 2016 S.League was the 21st season of the S.League, the top-flight Singaporean professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1996. The season began on 13 February 2016, and concluded on 28 October 2016. DPMM FC were the defending champions.
The 2017 season is Home United's 22nd consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the S.League. Along with the S.League, the club will also compete in the Prime League, the Singapore Cup, Singapore League Cup and the 2017 AFC Cup.
The 2018 season is Hougang United's 21st consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the S.League. Along with the S.League, the club will also compete in the Singapore Cup.
The 2018 season is Geylang International's 23rd consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the S.League. Along with the S.League, the club will also compete in the Prime League, the Singapore Cup and the Singapore League Cup.
The 2018 season is Balestier Khalsa's 23rd consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the Singapore Premier League and the Singapore Cup.
The 2019 season is Balestier Khalsa's 24th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the Singapore Premier League and the Singapore Cup.
The 2019 season is Hougang United's 22nd consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the S.League. Along with the S.League, the club will also compete in the Singapore Cup.
The 2019 season is Geylang International's 24th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the Singapore Premier League. Along with the Singapore Premier League, the club will also compete in the Singapore Cup.
The 2016 S.League season is Tampines Rovers's 21st season at the top level of Singapore football and 71st year in existence as a football club. The club also competed in the Singapore League Cup, Singapore Cup, Singapore Community Shield and the AFC Cup.
The 2020 Singapore Premier League was the 3rd season of the Singapore Premier League, the top-flight Singaporean professional league for association football clubs, since its rebranding in 2018. The champions of the 2020 Singapore Premier League qualified for the AFC Champions League group stage automatically.
The 2016 season is Hougang United's 19th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the S.League. Along with the S.League, the club will also compete in the Prime League, the Singapore Cup and the Singapore League Cup.
The 2015 season is Hougang United's 18th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the S.League. Along with the S.League, the club will also compete in the Prime League, the Singapore Cup and the Singapore League Cup.
The 2021 season is Geylang International's 26th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the Singapore Premier League. Along with the Singapore Premier League, the club will also compete in the Singapore Cup.
The 2023 season is Hougang United's 26th consecutive season in the Singapore Premier League. After finishing third in the 2021 Singapore Premier League, Hougang qualified for the 2023–24 AFC Cup.
The 2023 season is Geylang International's 28th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the Singapore Premier League. Along with the Singapore Premier League, the club will also compete in the Singapore Cup.
The 2023 season is Tampines Rovers' 28th season at the top level of Singapore football and their 78th year in existence as a football club. The club will also compete in the Singapore League Cup, the Singapore Cup, and the AFC Cup.
The 2023 season is Balestier Khalsa's 28th consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and in the Singapore Premier League and the Singapore Cup.