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Let soccer talent grow
The international exposure and the rare experience of playing the world’s best will help the national talent develop its skills and mentality.
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Coaching from the pros: PSM Makassar soccer club head coach Robert Rene Albert (center) gives young soccer players in Makassar, South Sulawesi, tips on how to improve their game on Aug. 6, 2028.
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hen Indonesia lost its right to host the FIFA U-20 soccer World Cup at the last minute as a result of domestic politicking in March, speculation was rife that the world soccer body would save the country’s face by allowing it to host the U-17 event. This has been confirmed now that FIFA has announced that the youth tournament, the lowest in the rung of FIFA-sanctioned competition, will be held in Indonesia from Nov. 10 to Dec. 2.
Indonesia replaces Peru, which lost its hosting right in April after FIFA found it unable to complete the infrastructure needed to stage the event in time. FIFA’s decision to move the tournament to Indonesia is understandable as the country was technically ready. Indonesia had selected and upgraded six stadiums in Jakarta; Bandung, West Java; Surabaya, East Java; Surakarta, Central Java; Denpasar, Bali; and Palembang, South Sumatra; for the U-20 tournament, and will therefore require little to make them ready for the U-17 event.
While infrastructure is not a major concern for the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI), the only problem is how to form a national team that can match the world’s best. The national U-17 team coach, Bima Sakti, has received assistance from senior team coaches Shin Tae-yong and Indra Sjafri in scouting the best players to don the national colors in the youth tournament. Bima is also weighing the option of recruiting naturalized players, which is a common practice among not only developing soccer countries but also established forces in the sport.
"As the host we should not only provide the best services to our guests, but also the best team," an assistant to Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Hamdan Hamedan said of the reason behind Indonesia’s hunt among the soccer diaspora for overseas players.
The U-17 tournament will feature 24 teams from five continents. Indonesia secures automatic entry as the host, while the other 23 teams went through grueling qualification. Defending champion Brazil, four-time winner Nigeria, and teams that have regularly qualified for the World Cup such as Spain, England, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, Argentina and Senegal will turn up for the end-of-the-year event.
For Indonesia, which will make its debut, the U-17 World Cup will be a litmus test of its soccer-development program. Soccer schools and academies have mushroomed in the country but they lack standards that help talented players reach their dream of becoming professionals. PSSI chairman Erick Thohir, who is also the state-owned enterprises minister, has promised to reform the system and initiate regular tournaments for various age groups, ranging from nine to 23.
Certainly, first-timer Indonesia will be stretched to the limit to progress beyond the group stage in the U-17 World Cup. But the international exposure and the rare experience of playing the world’s best will help the national talent develop its skills and mentality.
Indonesian youth teams have proven their prowess in the Southeast Asian level. Indonesia, for example, triumphed in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U-19 tournament in 2013 and the U-22 competition in 2019 and most recently the U-16 championship last year. But when it comes to senior competitions, trophies are elusive. Only in May did Indonesia win back the SEA Games soccer gold medal after a 31-year wait.
Building a strong soccer team is a long process that begins with the development of talent. The country, the fourth-most populous in the world, has never faced a deficit of soccer talent, but lacks a system that provides fertile ground for soccer talent to develop and allows a soccer culture to flourish.
The second chance to host a World Cup tournament should not slip through our fingers. Politicians had better refrain from spoiling our national pride with their short-term electoral interests ahead of the February 2024 poll.
Let our kids, the nation’s future soccer stars, enjoy their moment. The global competition will ensure that hard practice makes perfect.
