Patrick Kluivert Praises The Appearance Of The Indonesian National Team: Players Fight Like Lions

JAKARTA - The coach of the Indonesian national team, Patrick Kluivert, continued to give praise even though the Garuda squad lost 2-3 when they met Saudi Arabia. According to him, the players have fought like lions on the field.

The meeting took place in the Fourth Round of the 2026 World Cup Qualification at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah, on Thursday, October 9, 2025, early morning WIB. For Kluivers, even though the results were disappointing, he still appreciated his players.

"This result is very disappointing, but my players are fighting like lions. I am proud of their efforts," Patrick Kluivert told a news conference after the game.

Regarding performance on the field, Kluivert assessed that the Garuda Squad started the match well, but they lost control of the game after winning first through Kevin Diks' penalty (11').

"We started pretty well, but after winning 1'0, we lost momentum."

"We do not maintain good interlinary space so that opposing wingers can take advantage of gaps and suppress our defenses," he said.

According to Kluivert, Saudi Arabia's first goal was a turning point in the game. After that, his team struggled to restore the rhythm of the game.

Despite losing, Kluiver emphasized that he did not want to find excuses. He admitted that a number of Indonesian players who played abroad only joined two days before the match. However, he said this was not an excuse for the final result.

"I'm not the type of coach who hides behind reason. Yes, players from abroad just arrived yesterday. It's not an ideal situation, but we have to accept it," said the Dutchman.

Kluivert said the match went well and Indonesia only lost slightly in terms of effectiveness.

"The difference is small. Saudi Arabia does benefit from playing at home. However, in general, we can match their game," said the 48-year-old coach.

On that occasion, Kluivert also praised the appearance of goalkeeper Marteen Paes, who impressed with several brilliant saves despite conceding three goals.

Meanwhile, he also provided news about the condition of left-back Calvin Verdonk, who was absent due to a thigh injury.

"Calvin is experiencing a slight tear in the thigh muscle. We will monitor his recovery from day to day and hope he can play against Iraq," he said.