Indonesia's challenge for a first World Cup appearance in almost 90 years will take on a distinctly Dutch flavor when Shin Tae-yong's side face Saudi Arabia on Thursday hoping to ignite dreams of a long-awaited return to the game's greatest stage. 

Not since its debut in 1938 has the country, then known as the Dutch East Indies, appeared at a World Cup. But with the finals growing to 48 nations in 2036, efforts to return have quickly gathered momentum.

Nine players in the squad that defeated the Philippines at a sold-out Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta in June were born in the Netherlands, from which Indonesia declared independence in 1945.

"It's a boost for everyone that we can go to the next round," said Amsterdam-born midfielder Thom Haye, who scored the opener in the 2-0 win over the Philippines.

He added that he had seen some changes in the team’s dynamics over the past few months.

"We're getting stronger. You really do see us growing together as a team, and it's really important that we believe we can achieve these results,” Haye said. 

"Everything starts with belief first and then I think you become stronger and stronger."

The team's performances have certainly provided a boost for Indonesian soccer after a series of damaging incidents tarnished the country's standing.

A FIFA ban due to governmental interference saw the country excluded from qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup. Meanwhile, 135 people died in a crush in Malang, East Java, in late 2022 when police fired tear gas to disperse rioting fans.

Six months later, Indonesia made further headlines as the country was stripped of the right to organize the under-20 World Cup because of opposition from local politicians to Israel's participation.

Central to the mood shift has been Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) chair Erick Thohir, a former owner of Italy's Inter Milan, who took over as the organization's head in early 2023 and who has fast-tracked plans to tap extensively into the diaspora.

As a result, South Korean Shin, who led Indonesia to the last 16 of the Asian Cup in Qatar in January, will take the country's strongest-ever squad into the third round of Asian qualifying.

There, Indonesia will face a daunting challenge against battle-hardened World Cup veterans Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia, as well as Bahrain and China, in the quest for one of two automatic World Cup berths from Group C.

Haye said the team was proud of its results in the past months, including reaching the next stage of the World Cup qualifiers. But the team should not stop there, he added.

"We believe in each other and the possibilities we have, so in the next round we want to show who we are,” said Haye.

"I'm looking forward to the next group and the teams and it's a challenge. But I like challenges, so that's good."