Competing for the championship with Vietnam, Indonesia recalls 8 foreign players home

The influx of naturalized players active in European leagues coming back to join local clubs is regarded as Indonesia’s calculated step to strengthen their team aiming for the AFF Cup championship in the middle of the year.

In recent days, the media Indonesia has been particularly focused on Mauro Zijlstra – a forward contracted with FC Volendam. The Dutch-born player is reportedly close to signing a 2.5-year deal with Persija Jakarta, pending only the medical examination.

If this transfer is completed, Zijlstra will become the eighth player to join the group of “returnees” in the BRI Super League 2025/26 season. Before him, several other naturalized players have returned, distributed among major clubs such as Jordi Amat, Shayne Pattynama (Persija), Thom Haye, Eliano Reijnders, Dion Markx (Persib Bandung), Jens Raven (Bali United), and Rafael Struick (Dewa United).

From a club perspective, leaving the European environment is regrettable for many. However, for the Indonesian national team, this is a crucial “lever.” The reason is that the 2026 AFF Cup is not on the FIFA calendar, meaning European clubs have full rights to retain players, making it uncertain for national teams to gather their strongest squads.

Conversely, playing domestically makes call-ups much easier. Therefore, coach John Herdman can proactively build an optimal lineup, maintain cohesion, and prepare long-term — aspects that Indonesia lacked in previous tournaments.

With this “reinforcement squad,” Indonesia is considered to have the clearest chance ever to finally claim the AFF Cuptitle, after many near misses and defeats. The record of six runner-up finishes remains a haunting memory, and they aim to make 2026 their turning point.

According to the tentative schedule (July 24 – August 26, 2026), Indonesia is in Group A alongside defending champions Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, and the winner of the playoff between Brunei or Timor Leste.

Notably, Indonesia will enjoy home advantage in matches against Cambodia and Vietnam, with the clash against the Vietnamese team seen as the “pivot” for the qualification spot in Group A. Both teams are also strong contenders for the championship this year.