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PSSI or VP? Soccer fans weigh in on Erick after FIFA Matchday game
As soccer fans thronged the Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex on Monday to watch the Indonesia vs. Argentina FIFA Matchday friendly, The Jakarta Post spoke to some match-goers for their views on developments in Indonesian soccer, Erick Thohir's performance as the latest PSSI chair and how that might translate politically in relation to the 2024 elections.
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VVIP fans: President Joko “Joko” Widodo (second right), First Lady Iriana (right), State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir (second left) and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto (left) enjoy watching the friendly soccer match between Indonesia and Argentina at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta on June 19, 2023. (Presidential Secretariat’s Press Bureau/Laily Rachev)
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earing red from top to bottom, 36-year-old civil servant Bayu Prawiradisma nervously waited for a friend to arrive so they could enter the stadium and find their seats quickly.
“This is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When else will the Argentina national soccer team come here?” Bayu told The Jakarta Post before the Indonesia vs. Argentina FIFA Matchday game on Monday.
Bayu is one of tens of thousands of Indonesian supporters who had scored a rare opportunity to see the national team play against 2022 FIFA World Cup champion Argentina in the nation’s capital.
The excitement in the stands was palpable, soccer fans heaped praise on Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) chairman Erick Thohir for putting together the big event, and its success is likely to increase his chances at being nominated as a vice presidential candidate in the 2024 elections.
The Indonesian squad, in fit form after winning the gold medal for men’s soccer at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia, hosted La Albiceleste at the Main Stadium of Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex in Jakarta, packed with nearly 60,000 spectators.
The Merah Putih (Red and White) put up a strong defense as they held off a barrage of attacks by Argentina’s forwards, who played without famed striker Lionel Messi and other top players, including Ángel Di María and Nicolás Otamendi. The Indonesia squad also created several chances from counterattacks throughout the 90-minute match but in the end, it was bested 0-2.
Regardless of Indonesia’s loss and Messi’s absence, the buzz around the national team was highly positive, with fans cheering their team both on-site and on social media. Many were happy that the Indonesia team had improved drastically since State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir was elected PSSI chairman in February.
