Indonesian captain outraged by "disrespectful" Chinese referee

(Dan Tri) - After the 0-1 defeat to Iraq in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Indonesian team captain Jay Idzes criticized referee Ma Ning, saying he had a "disrespectful" attitude towards Indonesian players.

Indonesia captain Jay Idzes has publicly criticized referee Ma Ning after their 0-1 loss to Iraq in the decisive match of the 2026 World Cup fourth round Asian qualifiers. Idzes not only expressed his disappointment with the controversial decisions but also condemned the Chinese referee’s unprofessional attitude.

The match took place in the early morning of October 12 (Vietnam time) at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), witnessed many controversial situations from referee Ma Ning. The decisions of the Chinese referee are said to have directly affected the outcome of the match. This defeat caused Indonesia to be at the bottom of Group B, officially eliminated from the tournament and shattered the dream of the 2026 World Cup.

Indonesian players said they were unfairly treated in the match against Iraq (Photo: Bola).

“We played very well for most of the game, but couldn't reward ourselves by scoring,” Idzes said after the match.

The defender, who plays for Sassuolo in Serie A, insisted that the whole team showed professionalism and respected all the referee's decisions despite many doubts. "I always try to respect everyone, the referee, the organizers, everyone, but today, in my opinion, there were some things that were not right. In the end, the decision is still in the referee's hands, so we have to accept it," Idzes said.

The highlight of Idzes' criticism was referee Ma Ning's refusal to shake hands after the final whistle. He said this was a disrespectful act that went against the spirit of sportsmanship .

“When the game ended, I wanted to shake the referee’s hand, but they refused. I always try to respect the referee. I am on the pitch, and I make sure all the players stay away from the referee. I try to be polite to them. And even though they make some decisions that are not in our favor, we still have to respect them,” Idzes emphasized.

Indonesian fans threw bottles and plastic cups onto the field to protest the referee (Photo: Bola).

Despite the frustrating developments, the 25-year-old still expressed his pride in the resilient fighting spirit of his teammates. “This match was really difficult because it meant a lot, everyone was hungry because everyone wanted to win,” Idzes explained.

“It’s hard to reflect on it right now, I just want to say that I’m proud of my teammates. In the match against Saudi Arabia, we didn’t play at our best, but today, everyone fought hard. Most of the time, we played well, but we couldn’t translate that into results,” the Indonesian captain added.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/doi-truong-indonesia-phan-no-vi-trong-tai-trung-quoc-thieu-ton-trong-20251012112140831.htm