Rizky Ridho Asks The Indonesian National Team Not Only To Focus On One Japanese Player

JAKARTA - The Indonesian national team will host Japan in the Third Round of the 2026 World Cup Qualification in the Asian Zone at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), Jakarta, Friday, November 15, 2024, at 19.00 WIB.

The Indonesian national team player, Rizky Ridho, asked his colleagues not only to focus on one Japanese player.

Ridho said this because Japan is a World Cup subscription country so that all the players they have are of high quality in all lines.

Therefore, the Persija Jakarta defender does not want the Garuda Squad to be complacent with only one player to focus.

"All Japanese players are of high quality, maybe not having to watch out for one player, but as a team," said Ridho.

The meeting against Japan in SUGBK is the second meeting of the Indonesian national team. Previously, the Garuda Squad had faced the Blue Samurai in the 2023 Asian Cup group stage at the end of January 2024.

In the match which ended in the 1-3 defeat, Ridho appeared full in the defense in the 3-4-3 formation that Shin Tae-yong played.

However, the meeting could not be a benchmark for the match later. The Indonesian national team has been very developed since the meeting.

With the addition of naturalized players to the increase in FIFA rankings from 146 to 130, Ridho hopes that the result of the match against the Blue Samurai will end better.

"It means we have met from the 2023 Asian Cup. Now many new players have come. Hopefully it will be better than the 2023 Asian Cup," said the 22-year-old player.

Furthermore, Ridho also said that the Indonesian national team learned from the last two matches of the 2026 World Cup Qualification.

Garuda's squad only got one point from the match against Bahrain and China.

"Of course, the two points at the beginning against Saudi Arabia and Australia were not easily obtained."

"Maybe some people are not satisfied with that. Moreover, we drew against Bahrain and lost against China."

"All players are certainly disappointed with the result. We are determined to get points in every match. However, as well as we lose and draw, of course, we will introspect," said Rizky Ridho.