Nova Arianto Gives Reasons Why Only 4 Diaspora Players In The U-17 Indonesian National Team

The U-17 Indonesian national team was only strengthened by four diaspora players in the 2025 Independence Cup (doc. PSSI).

JAKARTA - The U-17 Indonesian national team will appear in the 2025 Independence Cup starting Tuesday, August 12, 2025. In that event, only four diaspora players will be brought by head coach Nova Arianto.

Before appearing in the tournament, Nova Arianto had conducted a training camp in Bali in early August 2025.

Initially, nine new diaspora players were called up. The nine players were Feike Muller (Willem II Tillburg), Elzar Jacob (Sydney FC), Lionel De Troy (US Citta in Palermo), Floris De Pagter (SC Telstar), Noha Pohan (NAC Breda), Jona Gaselink (FC Emmen), Azadin Ayoub (Elverum FC), Deston Hoop (SC Telstar), and Nicholas (Rosenberg BK).

However, there are now only four players who defend the U-17 Indonesian national team in the 2025 Independence Cup. The four players are Elzar Jacob, Noha Pohan, Aaron Liam Suitela, and Mathew Baker.

Nova admitted that the number of diaspora players who remained in the U-17 Indonesian national team shrank due to a number of factors, such as document constraints, club permits, to age differences.

"Indeed, regarding this diaspora player, we have to be careful. There are several players whose parents do not have Indonesian passports so they cannot be naturalized."

"In addition, there are problems with club permits and some are still born in 2010 so that they are gaping in age. Finally, only a few have appeared in the 2025 Independence Cup," Nova said as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, August 12, 2025.

The U-17 Indonesian national team played their first match in the 2025 Independence Cup against Tajikistan U-17 on August 12, 2025 evening WIB at the North Sumatra Main Stadium, Medan. After that, Mathew Baker and his friends will also meet Uzbekistan U-17 and Mali U-17.

The 2025 Independence Cup was held by PSSI as a means of preparation for the U-17 Indonesian national team before competing in the 2025 U-17 World Cup in November 2025.