Two Straight Losses and No World Cup — Indonesia FA Officially Sack Patrick Kluivert

According to ABC88, on October 16, the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) officially announced that Patrick Kluivert and his coaching staff have parted ways with the national team after the squad’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

In the official statement, PSSI explained that the decision was made mutually after evaluating the team’s current condition and long-term development goals. The agreement ends Kluivert’s role across the senior team, U23, and U20 national setups.

“We appreciate the dedication and hard work of Kluivert and his staff during their tenure,” the PSSI said, emphasizing that the move is part of a broader review of Indonesia’s football coaching and development programs.

Indonesia’s exit came after a 0–1 loss to Iraq in the second round of the AFC World Cup qualifiers, marking their second straight defeat after an earlier 2–3 loss to Saudi Arabia. The back-to-back losses ended Indonesia’s hopes of reaching the 2026 tournament in North America.

Following the defeat, thousands of fans voiced frustration online, calling for Kluivert’s dismissal. Some supporters even chanted the name of former head coach Shin Tae-yong during the match. Indonesia had made significant efforts to strengthen the team with naturalized players, hoping to make history under Kluivert — who replaced Shin in November last year — but the campaign fell short.

In his remarks, PSSI President Erick Thohir expressed gratitude toward Kluivert and his team:

“We sincerely thank Coach Kluivert and his staff for their contributions over the past 12 months. With mutual respect, we’ve agreed to end this cooperation. Thank you for being part of Indonesia’s football journey and for fighting for the red and white.”

Thohir also extended appreciation to fans, players, and officials who supported the national team’s efforts, noting that Indonesia’s qualification for the fourth stage of the World Cup qualifiers was already a historic milestone for the nation.

Moving forward, PSSI said it will conduct a comprehensive evaluation and set new objectives — including a push to enter FIFA’s Top 100 rankings and to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup and the 2030 FIFA World Cup.