Indonesian National Team Abroad Players Have Joined Saudi Arabia

Rafael Struick, one of the abroad players who has joined the Indonesian national team in Saudi Arabia (Instagram/@rafaelstruick).

JAKARTA - Good news for the Indonesian national team who will undergo the Third Round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. A total of 14 abroad players or those who have careers abroad have now joined a team in Saudi Arabia.

The Indonesian national team will undergo the first match of the 2026 World Cup Qualification Third Round by visiting Saudi Arabia headquarters on Friday, September 6, 2024, early morning WIB. For that match, Shin Tae-yong as the head coach brought 26 players into the squad.

Of the 26 players, 12 of them are players who play in the domestic league so they leave Jakarta simultaneously on Sunday, September 1, 2024. The rest, 14 players spread across several countries are given relief to go straight to Saudi Arabia.

"All the players (14 people) who play abroad have joined Saudi Arabia at this time," said Nova Arianto who is also assistant coach Shin Tae-yong in his statement quoted on Monday, September 2, 2024.

Furthermore, Nova also ensured that the condition of the players who had gathered at this time was very good. They are ready to take part in the inaugural training in Saudi Arabia on Monday, September 2, 2024, evening local time.

"The condition is that they are very good and ready to take part in the inaugural training in Saudi Arabia tonight," Nova said.

Abroad players have previously uploaded their presence in Saudi Arabia through their respective Instagram social media accounts on Monday, September 2, 2024, morning WIB.

The naturalized players in question are Calvin Verdok, Justin Hubner, Ivar Jenner, Rafael Struick, Thom Haye, to Maarten Paes. They uploaded their Instagram Story of their presence in Saudi Arabia through their personal account.

From their uploads, it is known that they have left for Arabia from the Netherlands, Belgium and the United States. In fact, players such as Justin Hubner, Ivar Jenner, Rafael Struick, and Thom Haye have shown their presence at hotels in Saudi Arabia.