Former Barcelona, Ajax and Netherlands star Patrick Kluivert is the new Indonesia head coach 🇮🇩
His first job… trying to gain automatic qualification to the World Cup ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/8aL2uQ9O0j
— DW Sports (@dw_sports) January 8, 2025
Indonesia has named former Netherlands and Barcelona star Patrick Kluivert as the new head coach of their national football team. The 48-year-old Kluivert will take over from South Korea’s Shin Tae-yong, who previously led the team, with the aim of guiding Indonesia to the expanded 48-team World Cup in 2026.
Kluivert, who enjoyed a distinguished playing career, including winning the UEFA Champions League with Ajax and playing in the Premier League with Newcastle United, has signed a two-year contract with an option for an extension. His vast football experience, both as a player and a coach, is seen as crucial for the development of Indonesia’s national team.
Indonesia’s football history includes just one World Cup appearance, in 1938, when the country competed as the Dutch East Indies. Since then, they have not qualified for the tournament, making Kluivert’s task even more vital as he prepares the team for their third-round World Cup qualifying match against Australia in March.
Currently ranked 127th by FIFA, Indonesia sits third in their six-team World Cup qualification group, with six matches played and four remaining. The top two teams in the group will secure direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams will have another chance in additional rounds.
Kluivert’s appointment comes at a critical juncture for Indonesian football as they aim to qualify for their second-ever World Cup appearance. His most recent managerial role was in 2023, where he coached Turkish side Adana Demirspor for five months. Kluivert also has experience managing Curacao and has served as an assistant coach with Louis van Gaal for the Netherlands and Clarence Seedorf for the Cameroon national team.
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