{{short description|Singaporean footballer (born 2001)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Elijah Lim | image = Lim Teck Yong.jpg | fullname = Elijah Lim Teck Yong | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|5|8|df=y}} | birth_place = Singapore | height = | currentclub = Balestier Khalsa | clubnumber = 14 | position = Winger, midfielder | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 2018-2019 | clubs1 = Tampines Rovers | caps1 = 2 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2020 | clubs2 = Balestier Khalsa | caps2 = 5 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2021–2023 | clubs3 = Geylang International | caps3 = 13 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2022–2023 | clubs4 = Young Lions | caps4 = 28 | goals4 = 3 | nationalyears1 = 2023– | nationalteam1 = Singapore U23 | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | club-update = 15 May 2026 | nationalteam-update = | years5 = 2023– | clubs5 = Balestier Khalsa | caps5 = 26 | goals5 = 3 | caption = Elijah playing for Young Lions in 2023 }}
'''Elijah Lim Teck Yong'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elijah Lim Teck Yong |url=https://www.teamsingapore.sg/athletes/elijah-lim-teck-yong |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=www.teamsingapore.sg |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Singapore - E. Lim - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway |url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/elijah-lim/571425/ |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=int.soccerway.com}}</ref> (born 8 May 2001) is a Singaporean professional footballer currently playing as a midfielder for Singapore Premier League club Balestier Khalsa. Able to play in wide positions, Elijah has appeared as a central midfielder, left midfielder and left winger in his career, making him a versatile player.
== Club career ==
=== Youth === Elijah studied at the Singapore Sports School where he play for the school team. In 2016, he was chosen for a week-long training stint with Japanese club, Matsumoto Yamaga where he trained with the academies players.<ref>{{cite web |title=NFA six shine in two friendlies in Japan |url=https://tnp.straitstimes.com/sports/football/nfa-six-shine-two-friendlies-japan}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=National Football Academy U-14 players, Nur Adam Abdullah, Elijah Lim and Hamizan Hisham, who are in Japan for a training stint with J-League side Matsumoto Yamaga FC |url=https://www.facebook.com/singaporefootball/posts/10153394289968255 |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>
=== Tampines Rovers === On 3 January 2018, Elijah signed his first professional contract with Singapore Premier League club, Tampines Rovers from Singapore Sports School.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Signinga {{!}} We would like to welcome Zakri Ee, Hamizan Hisham and Elijah Lim to the club! |url=https://www.facebook.com/TampinesRoversFC/posts/2041317942619674 |access-date=14 April 2023 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>
=== Balestier Khalsa === Elijah signed with Balestier Khalsa at the start of the 2020 Singapore Premier League season but only made 5 appearances before having his contract mutually terminated due to COVID-19.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Jayakumar |first=Vikram |date=19 June 2021 |title=Electric Elijah! Meet Geylang International’s Spark in Midfield |url=https://soccerkakis.org/2021/06/19/electric-elijah-meet-geylang-internationals-spark-in-midfield/ |access-date=20 April 2023 |website=SoccerKakis |language=en}}</ref>
=== Geylang International === Elijah signed with Geylang International ahead of the 2021 Singapore Premier League season.<ref name=":0" /> He had a 37% tackle rate for his team in the Singapore Premier League, the highest in Geylang.<ref>{{Cite web |title=😤 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 tackles in the #SPL so far: |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4450497931631334&set=a.200345643313272 |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
He soon left the club in September 2021 to serve national service.<ref>{{Cite web |title=All the best to Wayne Chew, Harith Kanadi, Elijah Lim and Nur Luqman who will serve Singapore 🇸🇬 in national service soon 💚
|url=https://www.facebook.com/geylanginternationalfc/posts/4667955843224001 |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>
=== Young Lions === Elijah then joined Young Lions ahead of the 2022 Singapore Premier League season where he also underwent his compulsory National Service. He scored his first goal for the Young Lions in a 4–4 draw against his former club, Balestier Khalsa, with the goal also being his first professional goal in his career.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Singapore Premier League - 😃 A 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 ever professional goal for Elijah Lim #SPL Young Lions {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/SingaporePremierLeague/photos/a.200345643313272/6129171790430598/ |access-date=20 April 2023 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=😃 A 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 ever professional goal for Elijah Lim #SPL |url=https://twitter.com/SGPremierLeague/status/1579637971732791296 |access-date=19 Jan 2024 |website=www.twitter.com}}</ref> Elijah came close to scoring again in a 2–2 draw to Brunei DPMM during the 2023 season but saw the ball rebound off the crossbar. During the 4–3 defeat to Tanjong Pagar United,<ref>{{Citation |title=Jaguars BACK on a VICTORY trail! {{!}} 2023 SPL: Young Lions vs Tanjong Pagar United |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNwIr0CVjnQ |access-date=2023-08-01 |language=en}}</ref> Lim was involved with all 3 goals scored by the Young Lions as he scored two goals from close range and was integral in the build up to the third goal. However his team came short as they lost in dramatic fashion to a late goal.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 Singapore Premier League Matchweek 15: Roundup - Football Association of Singapore |url=https://spl.sg/2023-singapore-premier-league-matchweek-15-roundup |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=spl.sg |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=HALF-TIME Young Lions 3-1 Tanjong Pagar #SPL |url=https://twitter.com/SGPremierLeague/status/1666061345064906753 |access-date=19 January 2024 |website=www.twitter.com}}</ref>
He departed the team following his completion of national service and remained as a free agent until October.
=== Return to Balestier Khalsa === On 19 October 2023, Balestier Khalsa announced the return of Elijah to the club which he will don the number 49.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to Balestier Khalsa Football Club, Elijah Lim!! |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=843759677755530&set=a.463431015788400 |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=www.facebook.com}}</ref>
== International career ==
=== Youth === Elijah made his Singapore U23 debut in a 1–0 lost to Hong Kong in the 2023 Merlion Cup. Elijah was then selected for the 25-man preliminary squad for the upcoming 2023 SEA Games later in the year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Football Association of Singapore - The 25 in the provisional Under-22 squad for the upcoming SEA Games. |url=https://www.facebook.com/singaporefootball/photos/a.10150247106593255/10161068782103255/ |access-date=20 April 2023 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Career statistics==
===Club=== {{updated|15 May 2026.}}<ref>{{Soccerway|elijah-lim/571425|accessdate=3 February 2021}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |- | rowspan="3" | Tampines Rovers |2018 ||Singapore Premier League |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |2019 |Singapore Premier League |2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0 |- ! colspan=2 |Total !2!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0 |- | rowspan="1" | Balestier Khalsa |2020 | Singapore Premier League |5||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||5||0 |- | rowspan="1" | Geylang International |2021 |Singapore Premier League |13||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||13||0 |- | rowspan="3" | Young Lions |2022 |Singapore Premier League |13||1||3||0||0||0||0||0||16||1 |- |2023 |Singapore Premier League |15 |2 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |15 |2 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !28!!3!!3!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!31!!3 |- | rowspan="4" |Balestier Khalsa |2023 |Singapore Premier League |0||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0 |- |2024–25 |Singapore Premier League |10||1||3||0||0||0||0||0||13||1 |- |2025–26 |Singapore Premier League |16||2||5||0||0||0||0||0||21||2 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !26!!3!!9!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!35!!3 |- ! colspan="3" | Career total !74!!6!!12!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!86!!6 |} '''Notes''' {{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
==International statistics==
===U23 International caps=== {| class="wikitable" ! No !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Result !! Competition |- | align=center|1 || 24 March 2023|| Jalan Besar Stadium, Jalan Besar, Singapore|| {{fbu|23|HKG}} || align=center|0–1 (lost) || Friendly |- | align=center|2 || 29 April 2023|| Prince Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia|| {{fbu|23|THA}} || align=center|1–3 (lost) || 2023 SEA Games |- | align=center|3 || 3 May 2023|| Prince Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia|| {{fbu|23|VIE}} || align=center|1–3 (lost) || 2023 SEA Games |- | align=center|4 || 6 May 2023|| Prince Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia|| {{fbu|23|LAO}} || align=center|0–0 (draw) || 2023 SEA Games |- | align=center|5 || 11 May 2023|| Prince Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia|| {{fbu|23|MYS}} || align=center|0-7 (lost) || 2023 SEA Games |- |}
== Honours == '''Tampines Rovers''' * Singapore Cup: 2019<ref name=":1" />
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lim, Elijah}} Category:Living people Category:2001 births Category:Singaporean men's footballers Category:Singapore men's youth international footballers Category:Singaporean people of Chinese descent Category:Sportspeople of Chinese descent Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Singapore Premier League players Category:Footballers at the 2023 SEA Games Category:SEA Games competitors for Singapore Category:Geylang International FC players Category:Young Lions FC players Category:21st-century Singaporean sportsmen Category:Balestier Khalsa FC players Category:Tampines Rovers FC players