Nanthakumar Kaliappan (born 13 October 1977) or better known as K. Nanthakumar is a former Malaysian footballer where he played as a defensive midfielder. He was a member of the Malaysian national team from 2002 until 2010. Nanthakumar is a former head coach of Malaysia Super League club Negeri Sembilan.
He is renowned for his physical appearance which is always quoted to overshadow many strikers in the Malaysian League. Having a six feet tall physique, Nanthakumar is not only tough in defend but also can even score a goal for Perak FA.[7]
He had represented Malaysia since the 2002 Tiger Cup. From then onwards, he has been a regular on the national team. He helped Malaysia to finish third in the 2004 Tiger Cup and even made a semi final appearance during the 2007 ASEAN Football Championship. Furthermore, he was chosen to be on the national team for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, where he played in all of Malaysia's matches. He was also part of the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying squad.[8][9]
On 15 September 2024, Nanthakumar was appointed as the head coach of Malaysia Super League club Negeri Sembilan.
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Negeri Sembilan | 
|
15 September 2024 | 30 April 2025 | 21 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 23 | 40 | −17 | 19.05 | [citation needed] |
| Career Total | 21 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 23 | 40 | −17 | 19.05 | ||||
|  | |
