PSSI Urges Kemenpora So Calvin Verdok Can Appear In The 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

Calvin Verdink is speeding up his naturalization (Instagram/@c.verdonk).

JAKARTA - Prospective naturalized player for the Indonesian national team, Calvin Verdink, is expected to appear to defend the Garuda Squad against the Philippines. To realize this, PSSI through the Secretary General, Yunus Nusi urged the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to assist the player's naturalization as soon as possible.

The Indonesia vs Philippines national team match is the second match in the second round of the 2026 World Cup Qualification in the Asian Zone. The match will be held at the Gelora Bung Karno (SUGBK) Main Stadium on June 11, 2024.

Prior to that, the Indonesian national team first fought Iraq on June 6, 2024. However, considering that there are only a few days left, Verdonk is certain to miss the match.

The reason is, currently the naturalization of the defender has just been discussed in the working meeting of Commission X and III of the Indonesian DRP.

However, there is still time for Verdonk to appear in the second match against the Philippines. However, both PSSI and Kemenpora had to compete with time because Yunus Nusi claimed that the registration of players against the Philippines was closed on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, WIB night.

"Our Iraqi opponent has not been able to confirm (Calvin Verdonk appears). Hopefully, it will be possible to fight the Philippines, if I'm not mistaken, the registration will be last Tuesday," said Yunus Nusi in Jakarta, quoted on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

"We ask the Minister of Youth and Sports and the Director General of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights to process it as soon as possible," Yunus added.

Considering that currently the naturalization process for Verdonk is only in the approval stage of Commission X and Commission III of the DPR RI, the player still has to continue the next process.

To officially hold the status of an Indonesian citizen (WNI), Verdonk, who is also being processed with Jens Raven, still has to wait for the results of the DPR Plenary Meeting, Presidential Decree (Keppres), take the oath of Indonesian citizens, make ID cards and passports, then transfer the federation file from the Netherlands (KNVB) to Indonesia (PSSI).

In order to be able to pursue Verdonk's opportunity to appear against the Philippines, in fact, all the processes must be completed in one day and deemed impossible. The reason is, the deadline for player registration for the Indonesia vs the Philippines match falls on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

Even so, Verdonk remains optimistic. He admitted that he was ready to play whenever for the Indonesian national team.

"I'm certainly ready. However, I don't know if the (naturalization) process has been completed yet. So I don't know if I can play or not," said Verdonk.