National team member Ezra Harm Ruud Walian is now an Indonesian citizen.
Ezra, who is of Indonesian-Dutch descent, was officially granted citizenship along with his father, Gleen Walian, at the Jakarta office of Law and Human Rights Ministry on Thursday, kompas.com reported.
Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) deputy secretary-general Fanny Riawan attended the ceremony.
The 19-year-old soccer player, who previously played for Netherlands’ Ajax, is scheduled to join his teammates at a national training camp in Bali on May 22-28.
“Five years ago a dream came true, I became an Ajax Amsterdam player. Champion of the Netherlands four times. This season was my last season with Ajax and we came in second in the Jupiler League. So proud to have played for @afcajax. Now I’m heading for a new adventure. One day we will meet again,” said Ezra through his Instagram account, @ezrawalian, on May 9.
With the new status, Ezra will have the opportunity to play in two friendly matches with Luis Milla’s under-22 team against Bali United and Espanyol B or Yokohama Marinos by end of this month.
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.