Indonesia head coach Patrick Kluivert has expressed strong confidence ahead of Thursday’s must-win World Cup qualifying clash against China, declaring he is counting on his players to rise to the occasion in front of a packed Jakarta crowd.
The former Barcelona and Netherlands striker admitted that while his debut match in charge ended in a heavy 5–1 defeat to Australia in March, his side showed resilience by bouncing back with a narrow 1–0 win over Bahrain just days later. That result has left Indonesia’s qualification hopes alive with two rounds of matches remaining.
“I’m very confident, and counting on my players that they will execute the things that we trained,” Kluivert told reporters on Wednesday, speaking ahead of the Group C showdown at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, which is expected to host around 76,000 fans.
Indonesia currently sit fourth in the group with nine points, just one behind third-placed Saudi Arabia. Japan have already secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America, while Australia occupy the second automatic spot with 13 points. China and Bahrain are both on six points, making the upcoming matches decisive for the remaining spots.
Kluivert, who took his squad to the island of Bali for a focused training camp, believes his players are well prepared. “The things we want to see tomorrow, I saw very clearly. We know the importance of the game,” he said.
While Indonesia may not qualify directly, finishing third or fourth would still keep their World Cup dream alive by earning them a place in the next round of Asian qualifiers — a historic opportunity for the country, which has never reached a World Cup since its independence in 1945.
The Indonesian Football Association has recently ramped up its efforts by enlisting Dutch-born players with Indonesian heritage and hiring foreign expertise in a bid to boost the national team’s competitiveness.
Kluivert is hoping the electric home atmosphere will make the difference. “I hope that we can show them a good result,” he added.
Indonesia is currently ranked 123rd in the FIFA world rankings.