With ambitions rising, the Indonesian national football team aspires to break through the first round's curse and advance to the later stages of the Asia Cup finals in Qatar – a notable return after a 16-year absence. The competition is set to take place from January 12 to February 10 of the following year, spanning across nine stadiums, seven of which hosted the 2022 World Cup matches.
Indonesia is set to play in Group Four of the 2023 Asia Cup, competing alongside Iraq, Vietnam, and Japan.
As of November 2023, the Indonesian squad held the 146th spot in FIFA's rankings, with their historic best being 76th, secured back in September 1998.
Founding
The Football Association of Indonesia was founded in 1930 and joined FIFA in 1952. Two years later, it became a member of the Asian Football Confederation.
They played their first international match in 1934 against Japan, known then as the 'Dutch East Indies,' and suffered a heavy 1-7 defeat. Historically, the Indonesian team clinched the Olympic bronze medal in 1958. Their sole World Cup appearance was in the 1938 tournament in France, representing the 'Dutch East Indies' – at the time a Dutch colony – where they lost to Hungary with a resounding 0-6.
Asia Cup History
Indonesia made its debut in the Asia Cup finals starting from 1996 and has appeared four times since.
- 1996 edition in the UAE: Exited in the first round after a draw with Kuwait and losses to South Korea and the UAE.
- 2000 edition in Lebanon: Made another first-round exit following a goalless draw with Kuwait and losses to China and South Korea.
- 2004 edition in China: Although leaving at the group phase, Indonesia secured its first victory in the tournament against Qatar with a 2-0 win before succumbing to defeats against China and Bahrain.
- 2007 edition co-hosted by Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand: They went out in the opening round but notched up their second finals win with a 2-1 victory over Bahrain, yet they were beaten by Saudi Arabia and South Korea.
Abdul Kadir remains one of the greatest in Indonesian football history, the national team's top scorer with 70 goals and a record 111 caps.
Current Key Players:
- Elkan Baggott
- Asnawi Mangkualam
- Egy Maulana Vikri
- Evan Dimas
In December 2019, the Indonesian Football Association appointed South Korean Shin Tae-yong as the national team's head coach, succeeding the previous Scottish coach Simon McMenemy, on a four-year contract.
Association president General Muhammad Irawan emphasized that Shin Tae-yong's experience was the principal reason behind his hiring, aiming to oversee the national team with long-term goals in mind and immediate preparation for the upcoming Asian qualifiers.
This event marks Indonesia's fifth appearance at an AFC Asian Cup™️. Team Garuda first qualified for the competition in 1996 and co-hosted the 2007 edition.
Indonesia's Match Schedule in Group Four of the 2023 Asia Cup:
- January 15: Indonesia vs. Iraq (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium).
- January 19: Vietnam vs. Indonesia (Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium).
- January 24: Japan vs. Indonesia (Al Thumama Stadium).
