PSSI General Chair Hopes Players From Jakarta Dominate The U-17 World Cup Indonesian National Team Squad

Photo: Doc. Antara

JAKARTA - Chairman of the All-Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Erick Thohir hopes that Jakarta, one of the cities for the selection of players for the 2023 U-17 World Cup, can contribute the most participants.

"Of course we hope that Jakarta can be bigger because so far the track record has been recorded, but usually this is a lot of contribution for the national team," said Erick when reviewing the selection process, quoted from Antara, Saturday, July 22.

The best young footballers from Jakarta underwent a selection at Persija Sport Ground, Depok, West Java. Jakarta is the fifth city of a total of 12 cities to hold selections for the U-17 World Cup after Bandung, Palembang, Bali, and Tangerang.

On this day, a selection was also held in Samarinda City, which is located at the Borneo Training Center.

"I hope that what is in front of me must be able to contribute the most. This is the capital city, it must give the most," Erick added.

Of the hundreds of selection participants in Jakarta, the best talent will be chosen to join 17 footballers who have been selected from the selection held from four cities.

"So far, from Bali, Bandung, from Palembang, there are a total of 17 and if it is here (Jakarta) it can be eight to nine extraordinary. We encourage the selection in Kalimantan and Solo, and later there will also be Manado, and this is the hope that it will really spread," said the 53-year-old man.

The selection agenda in 12 cities in Indonesia for the U-17 World Cup will be completed on July 30 and later the selected players will join the dozens of players in the U-17 national team, who a few days ago held a training camp in Jakarta.

After that, the players will face several test matches such as against Barcelona Juvenil A, part team from Barcelona's La Masia academy and the South Korean U-17 national team in August before departing for a training camp in Germany from September to October.

"We are preparing to fight South Korea's U-17, which is also a good team, plus later there will be a young Barcelona team that will come to Indonesia," explained Erick.

While undergoing a training camp in Panzer Country, Erick explained that later the Bima Sakti coach's team will play several trial matches towards the final preparations for the U-17 World Cup. One he hopes is against the German U-17 national team.

"And there we also prepare a serious match against several teams in Germany, including what we also hope for the German U-17 national team or even if we make a small tournament in Germany," concluded Erick.