Football: Indonesia Names Dutch Icon Patrick Kluivert as New National Team Coach
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Jakarta, Jan 8 (NationPress) Patrick Kluivert has been formally appointed as the head coach of the Indonesian national football team. The renowned Dutch coach has committed to a two-year contract spanning from 2025 to 2027, complete with an option for an extension. The 48-year-old ex-striker takes the helm of a squad that remains in a viable position to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as they currently sit third in Group C of the AFC Asian Qualifiers.
According to a statement from the Football Association of Indonesia, "The Dutch football icon has signed a two-year deal running from 2025 to 2027, along with an option for an extension."
After hanging up his boots in 2008, Kluivert, who was born on July 1, 1976, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, promptly launched his coaching career. He began as an assistant coach at AZ Alkmaar, NEC Nijmegen, and Brisbane Roar. Subsequently, he managed Jong Twente, where he led them to a championship title.
Kluivert also served as an assistant coach to Louis van Gaal for the Netherlands national team, which secured third place at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. In 2015, he took on the role of head coach for the Curaçao national team during their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the 2017 Caribbean Cup of Nations qualifiers.
His most recent coaching position was managing Adana Demirspor in Turkey for five months in 2023. Prior to that, he was the caretaker manager for Curacao in 2021.
The Indonesian team’s next challenge in the AFC Asian Qualifiers is a crucial match against Australia, currently in second place, but only one point ahead, scheduled for March.
This announcement follows the immediate termination of Shin Tae-yong's contract as head coach of Indonesia, as revealed by the country’s football federation (PSSI) on Monday. Shin, who took up the role in December 2019, was removed with Indonesia ranked third in Group C of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26, just six months after he signed a contract extension until 2027.
