October 13, 2025 | 10:15 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian national team coach Patrick Kluivert said he has no plans to step down from his coaching position despite Indonesia's failure to advance to the 2026 World Cup. Despite growing public pressure and uncertainty about his future, the Dutch coach emphasized that he has no plans to leave the Garuda squad.
"There are no plans. We have to reflect on what we did. But I don't really have the answer. I don't know, I really don't know what's going to happen," Kluivert said after Indonesia's last match in the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
Kluivert was appointed by the Indonesian football association (PSSI) as the coach of the Indonesian National Team in January 2025 to replace Shin Tae-yong with an ambitious target: to help Indonesia qualify for the World Cup for the first time. Hopes were high after Indonesia made it to the fourth round of qualifiers, as it was the highest achievement reached in the history of Indonesian football.
But Garuda's journey was halted after two losses to Saudi Arabia and Iraq, resulting in finishing at the bottom of Group B. This outcome has put Kluivert's position in jeopardy. The majority of supporters are demanding his resignation. PSSI has not made an official decision about the coach's fate, despite his contract running for less than a year and still being valid until 2027.
One of the biggest criticisms against Indonesia's lackluster performance during the fourth round of the World Cup qualifiers comes from Kluivert's player composition. Many deemed his lineup weak during the opening match against Saudi Arabia.
The former AC Milan and Barcelona forward believes that his team has fought to the maximum. "I think the people of Indonesia can be really proud of the players and everybody who has worked hard to realize their dreams," the coach said. "It's hard to face, because I see...how hard everybody works. Everybody has their opinions, but they don't know how hard we work."
The failure in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers means that Indonesia currently has no major agenda in the near future. In November, Garuda is scheduled to play two international friendly matches, followed by the 2026 AFF Cup next year. After that, Indonesia will again compete at the highest level in the 2027 Asian Cup.
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