File image of Patrick Kluivert during his stint as the assistant coach of the Netherlands team during a FIFA World Cup qualifying soccer match against Estonia in Amsterdam in 2013. (AP Photo)
Patrick Kluivert will take over the reins of the Indonesian national men’s football team. The Indonesian football team is composed of a majority of players who were born or raised in the Netherlands, Kluivert’s home country.
Kluivert was confirmed as Indonesia’s new head coach on Wednesday. The 48-year-old will replace Shin Tae-yong, the South Korean coach who was sacked two days earlier.
The Associated Press reports that one of the main reasons that the former Barcelona star was hired by Indonesia’s football federation (PSSI) was because of the Dutch roots of the players.
Indonesia defeated the mighty Saudi Arabia in a World Cup qualification game in November by a 2-0 margin. In that game, eight of the starting XI of Indonesia were naturalised players. Media reports state that there are plans to naturalise more Dutch-born players.
Indonesia declared its independence from the colonial rule of the Netherlands in 1945.
Under Shin Tae-yong, the Indonesian men’s football team achieved unprecedented results in five years. Indonesia are in the fray to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1938 — when it appeared as Dutch East Indies.
Shin’s son, Shin Jae-won, ranted against the decision on social media, posting: “Over the past five years, Indonesia have climbed 50 places in the FIFA rankings and are third in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, yet the coach is fired?”
Kluivert’s primary goal with Indonesia will be to help them secure qualification into the FIFA World Cup in 2026. With four games remaining in the third round of Asian qualification, Indonesia are in third spot among six teams in their group. Indonesia trails second-place Australia by just one point and could secure direct entry into the World Cup by securing a top two spot.
Kluivert’s first games in charge of Indonesia will be blockbuster ones. There is a qualifier against Australia in Sydney on March 20. Five days later, Indonesia host Bahrain in Jakarta. The third round of Asian qualification will end in June with games against China and the group’s runaway leader, Japan.
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