August 22, 2025 | 08:48 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Dewa United player Rafael Struick has been called up to represent the Indonesian U-23 National Team. This call-up came after his name was not included in the list of senior Indonesian national team players for the FIFA Match Day in September 2025 against Kuwait and Lebanon.
In the U-23 team, Struick will strengthen the team coached by Gerald Vanenburg for the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Gelora Delta Sidoarjo Stadium, facing Laos, Macau, and South Korea. "Rafael Struick will represent the Indonesian U-23 National Team, which will compete in Group J 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers," as stated in the Dewa United Instagram post, quoted in Jakarta on Friday, August 22, 2025.
This is not the first time Struick has represented the U-23 national team. He previously played for Young Garuda during Shin Tae-yong's coaching era and has made 23 appearances for the senior national team. At that time, he played in the U-23 Asian Cup, where Struick scored one goal and provided one assist, helping the U-23 national team to become the group champions in the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Solo in September 2023.
In the final round in Qatar, the 22-year-old forward scored two goals and provided one assist, leading Young Garuda to produce surprises. One of the surprises occurred when Struick's goal eliminated South Korea in the quarter-finals.
Although the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has not yet announced the U-23 national team squad, several clubs that received letters from the PSSI have already announced the players they called up on social media. Persija Jakarta, Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC, and Persib Bandung each contributed two players. Persija's players are Dony Tri Pamungkas and Rayhan Hannan; Bhayangkara's are Muhammad Ferarri and Frengky Missa; and Persib's are Robi Darwis and Kakang Rudianto.
Meanwhile, Bali United has contributed the most players so far. Jens Raven, Kadek Arel, and Rahmat Arjuna have once again made it into the squad.
Indonesia will host this qualifiers along with 10 other countries, including Jordan (Group A), Myanmar (Group B), Vietnam (Group C), China (Group D), Kyrgyzstan (Group E), Thailand (Group F), Cambodia (Group G), Qatar (Group H), the United Arab Emirates (Group I), and Tajikistan (Group K).
The qualifying rounds will be held from September 3 to 9. Indonesia will first face Laos on September 3, then Macau on September 6, and finally South Korea on September 9. Indonesia will once again reunite with its former coach, Shin Tae-yong, who is reportedly returning to the country as the manager of the South Korean U-23 national team.
From these qualifying rounds, eleven group champions and the four best second-placed teams will advance to the final round, which will be played in Saudi Arabia in January 2026.
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