KUALA LUMPUR — Former Netherlands footballer Patrick Kluivert has been appointed head coach of the Indonesian national football team on a two-year contract, with an option to extend for another two years.
The 48-year-old once celebrated as one of football’s finest finishers, scored 50 goals in 79 appearances for the Netherlands and played for top clubs including Ajax Amsterdam, AC Milan, Barcelona, and Newcastle United.
He replaces Shin Tae-yong, whose tenure ended under controversial circumstances.
Tae-yong, who revitalised Indonesian football by leading the Garuda to the 2020 AFF Championship final and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, was recently sacked by Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) president Erick Thohir, also the former owner of Inter Milan.
Reports suggest the South Korean was let go due to communication issues with his players.
Renowned football journalist Fabrizio Romano also confirmed The Dutchman’s appointment, highlighting PSSI’s ambition to secure Indonesia’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Additionally, PSSI has reportedly approached former Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Netherlands, and Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal to serve as the national team’s technical director.
Kluivert has held various coaching roles since retiring as a player — though many were short-lived — including sporting director at Paris Saint-Germain and assistant coach for the Netherlands under Louis van Gaal during their third-place finish at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
He also had short stints as Curacao’s coach in 2015, assistant coach for Cameroon under Clarence Seedorf in 2018, and managed Turkish club Adana Demirspor, a role he left in December 2023.
Kluivert, who has also played for Valencia and PSV Eindhoven, will have two months to prepare for Indonesia’s upcoming World Cup qualifying matches, starting with Australia on March 20 and Bahrain on March 25.
The Garudas, currently third in Group C with six points, last participated in the World Cup in 1938 when they competed as the Dutch East Indies. — January 6, 2025