Shin was the toast of the town after his lads, in an ironic twist, ended his own national team’s dreams of making it to this summer’s Olympics in Paris. The match, which was held at Doha’s Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium on Thursday evening, was decided in a dramatic penalty shootout after a pulsating 120 minutes of play resulted in a 2-2 draw.

Indonesian goalkeeper Ernando Ari Sutaryadi saved two penalty kicks and made one of his own to contribute to a 11-10 win against pre-tournament favorite South Korea. He was also responsible for a brilliant tip that denied Australia a point in Indonesia’s 1-0 upset win in their group match on April 18.

Shin’s contract as the national team’s head coach had been extended until 2027 even before the quarterfinal victory against South Korea. It was the right decision at the right time, considering the squad’s convincing performance during his tenure.

The team and the country will need Shin’s touch more than ever after the Asian Cup, whether or not the squad wins the coveted trip to the Paris Olympics. Blessed with a big pool of talent, Indonesia has been longing for a ticket to the World Cup, and with Shin at the helm, the dream may just come true in 2026.

Fans have dubbed the current national team the “golden generation” of Indonesian soccer, especially after they won the country’s first Southeast Asian Games gold medal in the sport for more than three decades. The squad lost to Qatar in the opening match of this year’s Asian Cup but fought back, earning two consecutive wins to qualify for the quarterfinals for the first time as the group runner-up to the host.

Few would have thought Indonesia capable of defeating South Korea, which had won all three prior group matches. Indonesia has lost seven times to the South Koreans in U-23 encounters, including a 7-0 drubbing in a 2000 Olympics qualifying match. 

The upset win against Australia was the turning point for Indonesia. The national team’s confidence grew further with another shocking victory, 4-1 over feisty Jordan.

And having reached the semifinals, the squad may have what it takes to go all the way.

They will take on either Uzbekistan or defending champion Saudi Arabia in their semifinal match on Monday, where one ticket to the Paris Olympics is up for grabs.

If Indonesia loses, it can still qualify for the world’s biggest sporting event if it can beat the other losing semifinalist in the playoff for third place. But not even a defeat in that match will dash Indonesia’s hopes entirely, provided that it can overcome Guinea in an Asian-African playoff later in May.

The last time an Indonesian soccer team competed in an Olympics was in 1956 in Melbourne. After being automatically advanced through the first round, Indonesia lost to the Soviet Union in the quarterfinals.

After a long dormancy, Indonesia has slowly but surely regained its reputation as a regional soccer power to reckon with after its strong showing in Qatar over the past two weeks.

Coach Shin’s contribution has been extraordinary in building a strong team physically and mentally. Some players have drawn attention to their coach’s discipline – the key, perhaps, to the team’s winning run in Qatar. He does not hesitate to criticize his players in public for their lack of discipline, such as turning up late for a training session.

The team faces still greater challenges in its quest for soccer glory. It is our responsibility to help our golden soccer generation grow as strong as it can be.