World Cup Coach Unveils Indonesia's '1 Trillion Squad'

Indonesia's national team draws attention by assembling a squad valued at nearly 1 trillion VND, gathering European stars under coach John Herdman, ready for continental ambitions.

Indonesia's national team is entering a phase of strong transformation as new coach John Herdman officially announces a new call-up list with a total squad value reaching nearly 1 trillion VND.

In this gathering, the English strategist finalized a 26-player list after cutting 14 names. Notably, Indonesia's force includes up to 15 players currently playing abroad, alongside 9 standout faces from the domestic league. This is considered the strongest squad the archipelago's football currently possesses.

According to valuations from Transfermarkt, the total value of Indonesia's squad reaches 32.67 million Euros (approximately 1 trillion VND). The most prominent remains center-back Jay Idzes, a star performing impressively at US Sassuolo. This player is currently valued at 10 million Euros, a significant increase from the previous 7.5 million Euros, thus becoming the most valuable player in the national team.

Following Idzes are a series of quality names like Kevin Diks (5 million Euros, currently at Monchengladbach), Emil Audero (3.2 million Euros, currently at US Cremonese), Calvin Verdonk (3 million Euros, Lille OSC), and Dean James (2 million Euros, Go Ahead Eagles).

According to predictions by Indonesian media, their optimal lineup could include Audero in goal; the defensive quartet Diks, Idzes, Hubner, Walsh; midfield Pelupessy, Jenner, Verdonk; and the attacking line Sayuri, Oratmangoen, and Romeny. Notably, only Sayuri is currently playing domestically, while the rest compete in high-quality leagues in Europe and Asia.

In the upcoming FIFA Series, Indonesia will be the host and successively face opponents such as the Bulgaria national team, the Solomon Islands national team, and the Saint Kitts & Nevis national team. This is seen as an ideal opportunity for Coach Herdman to test the squad and evaluate the team's overall capability.

The English coach was appointed to replace Patrick Kluivert after a series of disappointing results. Previously, he gained recognition by leading the Canada national team to the 2022 World Cup and has experience working at Toronto FC.

The task for Coach Herdman is not small: to advance Indonesia deep into the 2027 Asian Cup, while building a foundation towards the dream of the 2030 World Cup. In the context of Indonesian football possessing a quality and internationally experienced naturalized player squad, fans can fully expect a new look for the national team in the near future.