Modern Family

Meet Irfan, Iman and Ikhsan Fandi— the children of football sensation Fandi Ahmad, who are poised to become Singapore’s brightest stars in sports and fashion.

- Gerald Tan

As if by a stroke of luck, the thunderstorm that has been raining down hard all morning begins to let up. It is here, by the pool of a beach villa on Sentosa with panoramic views of the harbour, that we find Irfan, Ikhsan and Iman Fandi standing shoulder to shoulder in front of the camera, flower crowns on their heads and looking every bit the rising stars of Singapore.

Their last name requires little introduction. Parents, Fandi Ahmad and Wendy Jacobs, are Singapore’s golden couple and the closest thing we have to the Beckhams. Like David and Victoria, Fandi is a talented football legend who remains a poster boy for Singapore football, while Wendy fronted magazine covers and walked international runways as a top model before the responsibilities of motherhood beckoned.

“When we were younger, we didn’t feel the effect of our father’s fame much. It was only after we came back from Indonesia [where my father was based for a few years] that we could tell he is someone famous,” recalls 20-year-old Irfan.“We had to be mindful of how we behaved in public because people were always looking.”

If anything, the handsome trio are growing comfortably into their own skin. At 20, Irfan is the eldest of five children (four boys and one girl); he is reserved and quiet, while18-year-old Ikhsan has a playful air to him and values his independence. And don’t be fooled by Iman’s fresh-faced appearance—the 17-year-old former track-and-field athlete is articulate and confident. Rounding up the gorgeous brood of five are boys Ilhan, 14, and Iryan, 11, who have the same great genes in both the looks and soccer skills department.