Rafael Struick: The Indonesian National Team Will Do Everything For Three Points

Rafael Struick is optimistic about the ability of the Indonesian national team in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers (doc. AFC).

JAKARTA - The Indonesian national team is scheduled to travel to the Australian headquarters, Sydney Football Stadium, on Thursday, March 20, 2025, for the seventh match of Group C of the Third Round of the 2026 World Cup Qualification.

Rafael Struick has been the mainstay of Indonesia's revival - especially during the last two years - to appear prominent when the Garuda Squad has had a major impact on continental play.

When new coach Patrick Kluivert led the Indonesian National Team (Timnas) in training at the Sydney Football Stadium in preparation for Australia's opponents, Struick became the only player who had a better understanding of Socceroos.

Since September 2024, Rafael Struick has played for Brisbane Roar in A-League, getting a direct look from Tony Popovic's many Australian players ahead of the Group C's important match on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Not many distinguish the two countries in the standings. Australia is in second place after six games only winning one point from Indonesia in an effort to get one from two automatic places to the 2026 World Cup finals.

With four games remaining, every important detail of Struick during his A-League appearance can help the Indonesian national team overcome Australia which has been faced twice since early 2024.

"We played in the 2023 Asian Cup and lost 4-0, but that was at the start of this process," Struick said of his first meeting with Socceroos in the last 16 of the 2024 Asian Cup in January 2024.

"In that match, in the first 20 minutes we were very strong. I think we should have scored."

"However, after that Socceroos are more in control of the game. You can see their quality for scoring goals four times," Struick said.

Struick then emphasized that the rapid development of the Indonesian national team made it uninferior in front of Australia.

Since the 0-4 defeat, the Garuda Squad has again met Socceroos which ended without a goal. This result brings the attacker's confidence that the Indonesian national team will do it many times.

"However, as we played next, the score was 0-0 in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers (September 2025). To be honest, I think it's a fair result."

"It could be winning or losing. It's not the best game from our side, from both sides, but the audience is still crazy."

"Getting one point from that game was a good result for us, but I think it will be difficult to face the next game."

"I think we're still underdog, but we've shown and will show that we can get results there. We'll do everything to get the three points," Struick said.

There is still a great opportunity for the Indonesian national team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals if they see the points in the standings.

The dream was increasingly driven by the inclusion of foreign-born talents and playing in Europe's top leagues.

Most recently, the Indonesian national team came to Ole Romeny, Joey Pelupessy, Dean James, and Emil Audero Mulyadi.

Before the four of them officially could defend the Garuda Squad, the Indonesian national team had already been in the world spotlight after beating the three-time Asian Cup champion, Saudi Arabia, with a score of 2-0 in Jakarta in November 2024.

The result brings high optimism for Struick that qualifying for the 2026 World Cup finals is not impossible.

"Joining this group, with all these opponents, we know it will be difficult. However, we always believe in our own qualities."

"Every opponent is a challenge for us, but I don't think we are lower than any opponent."

"Especially, in recent months with all these new players and the quality they bring to the team."

"We have now six points and we should have won against Bahrain. We should have had better results against China."

"We thought what if we won the game. Even so, we are still in a good position in this tough group," Struick said of the group.

There are still four matches left for the Indonesian national team in the Third Round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

Struick considers the four matches to be a final that must be won.

"We have shown that we can get results against those teams. We have four more games."

"We see it as four more finals, so we'll see what we can do," he said.