Prabowo: Indonesia Must Enter The World Cup

President Prabowo Subianto/PHOTO via Instagram @prabowo

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto expressed his desire for the Indonesian Football National Team (Timnas) to qualify and compete in the World Cup.

"Indonesia must enter the World Cup. That is our determination," said President Prabowo in front of PSSI administrators, senior athletes, and several ministers of the Red and White Cabinet during the inauguration ceremony of 17 stadiums at Gelora Delta Sidoarjo, East Java, Monday, March 17.

Therefore, the President gave orders to all his staff to strive for this, including fostering athletes, renovating, and building stadiums for FIFA standards, as well as reviving amateur clubs and amateur leagues.

"I ask all elements to support this. I thank you, all elements of the government, executive, and DPR, the parliament for good cooperation. We make everything smooth, our regulations are compact, we fix the tools, and regulations that need to be improved, facilitate PSSI efforts to form a strong national team," said the President.

Prabowo said he agreed with PSSI General Chair Erick Thohir's statement that football was a symbol of national pride.

"It is true that the General Chairperson of PSSI said that football is a symbol of the self-esteem of a modern nation," said President Prabowo.

The President then emphasized, "So, a strong nation is a strong nation whose soul is strong and physically strong. Physically strong, strong soul. Only with a strong physical and soul can the nation stand tall and can become a great country."