Back To Handling Indonesia U-23, Indra Sjafri Reveals Differences In SEA Games 2023 And 2025

Indra Sjafri said Thailand would be the strong opponent of the U-23 Indonesian national team at the 2025 SEA Games (VOI/Ferry Tri Adi Sasono).

JAKARTA - Indra Sjafri was again trusted to handle the U-23 Indonesian national team at the 2025 SEA Games held in Thailand. Not the first time, the coach revealed the difference between the challenges of the 2023 SEA Games and the 2025 SEA Games.

In the previous edition in 2023 which took place in Cambodia, Indonesia U-23 won a gold medal in men's soccer. Armed with this note, PSSI again has ambitions so that this sport can maintain similar achievements.

Regarding this matter, Indra Sjafri has his own views. He revealed that there is a difference that this time efforts to face Thailand as a strong team will be more challenging because they are the hosts.

"The challenge is not much different because they are both against the Southeast Asian team, but the one who makes the difference may be Thailand as the host," said Indra Sjafri after leading the training at the Madya Stadium, Senayan, on Tuesday, November 11, 2025.

To prepare for the 2025 SEA Games, Indra Sjafri summoned 33 players in the November 2025 edition of the training camp. Of that number, there are diaspora players, such as Ivar Jenner, Mauro Zijlstra, and Dion Markx.

"Today there are several abroad players who are playing outside and there are others that PSSI may be trying to bring them in."

"At this TC, there will be two trials against Mali U-23 on 15 and 18 November 2025. Tomorrow there will be one internal game to review the players who will continue to carry out the TC," said Indra.

The plan is that after the internal match, Indra Sjafri will reduce the number of players. Of the 33 names, the 62-year-old coach will adjust the number of players to fight Mali.

"Starting tomorrow (selection) after the internal game. Gradually, we take all the data from health, physical, and others so that it is not wrong in this regard."

"It's not just the potential we take, but the performance. Because all the players, of the 33 names currently in training, are all potential," said the coach.

The 2025 SEA Games will take place in Bangkok, Chonburi, and Songkhla on 9-20 December 2025. The plan is for the U-23 Indonesian national team to leave for Thailand in early December 2025.