Myanmar, a former powerhouse of the Merdeka football competition, have disappeared from the tournament since 1980 when it was ranked second from the last out of eight teams.

The tournament, sponsored and organized by the FAM and has been held in Malaysia only since 1957, will be held again in August after a five-year lapse.

The Merdeka football tournament is one of the oldest football competition in Southeast Asia, participating mainly by national teams form the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) region.

Meanwhile, in November last year, the Myanmar U-23 football team triumphed at the Grand Royal 2005 Challenge Cup football tournament here, taking part by four teams-- China's U-19, India's U-19, Bangladesh's selection(with an average age between 23 and 25) and host Myanmar's U-23.

Football is the most popular sports in Myanmar. Children play football not only in the fields or playgrounds but also on the roads in the country.

The Myanmar sports authorities has urged since last few years promotion of the standard of the sport and to win more achievements in international sports events, hiring foreign coaches to guide its national and youth teams.

Myanmar aims to become the top of the league in ASEAN to pave way for competing in the international soccer events.

Myanmar football team had been champions in the ASEAN in the 1960s and was away from trophy for about 30 years.

Meanwhile, Myanmar youth team defeated the Malaysian team 1-0 in the final and secured victory at the ASEAN U-20 football championship in Jakarta, Indonesia in August last year.

Moreover, in the ASEAN Football Federation U-17 Championship(2005) in Bangkok, Thailand from Aug. 26 to Sept. 4 last year, Myanmar youth team triumphed over Thailand 5-4 in the penalty shoot-outs in the final.

Myanmar youths have got improved much in football in recent years. The youth football teams got one trophy every year since 2002. The Myanmar youth teams emerged champions at the U-17 ASEAN Youth Football Championship in 2002, the U-18 ASEAN Youth Football Championship in 2003 and the U-18 BIMST-EC Youth Football Championship in 2004. Enditem