Failed To Debut With The Indonesian National Team At SUGBK, Mees Hilgers Sorry

Mees Hilgers failed to debut with the Indonesian national team at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (Instagram/@meeshilgers).

JAKARTA - FC Twente defender, Mees Hilgers, apologized for not being able to defend the Indonesian national team in the continued Third Round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in the Asian zone against Japan and Saudi Arabia.

Through uploads on his personal Instagram, Hilgers revealed that he could not strengthen the Indonesian national team because he still had to recover from injury.

"I apologize for not being able to strengthen the Indonesian national team at this time. I still need time to fully recover so that I can give my best in the next match," Hilgers wrote in a post Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

The player who plays as a center-back implies disappointment because he cannot make his debut with the Indonesian national team at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta.

Mees Hilgers has so far recorded two appearances with the Garuda Squad.

However, both of them were made up when Indonesia played away against Bahrain and China.

Meanwhile, the 23-year-old player continued to provide prayers and enthusiasm for his colleagues.

He hopes that the Indonesian national team can secure points in the match against Japan and Saudi Arabia to keep their hopes of qualifying for the next round.

"It feels heavy not being in the field feeling like friends from the Indonesian national team. Moreover, I have never felt the atmosphere of SUGBK when the Indonesian national team played. However, I will be at every step of them," said Hilgers.

"Hopefully Indonesia will get points in these two matches!" wrote the defender again.

Mees Hilgers is actually included in the 27 players who were called by coach Shin Tae-yong to face Japan (15 November 2024) and Saudi Arabia (19 November 2024).

However, he picked up a hamstring injury while defending FC Twenty in the 12th week of the Dutch League against Ajax Amsterdam last weekend.

FC Twenty chose not to let Hilgers go to focus on recovery and did not make his injury worse.