Indonesia calls up 8 national players to U.23 team: Ambition to become 'boss' of Southeast Asia

The Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) has just announced a list of 30 players preparing to compete in the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament, including 8 players who have played for the national team. Indonesia is determined to take the championship title from the Vietnam U.23 team.

U.23 Indonesia has only 1 player who won the SEA Games 32 gold medal

According to CNN Indonesia , in the U.23 team of the archipelago country, captain defender Muhammad Ferarri (21 years old) is the only remaining player from the squad (U.22) that won the gold medal in men's football at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia in 2023.

Vietnam U.22 team faces Indonesia U.22 team at SEA Games 32 in 2023

Photo: Ngoc Duong

Muhammad Ferarri is also one of eight other players who have been called up to the national team in previous stages such as Cahya Supriadi, Kakang Rudianto, Kadek Arel Priyatna, Arkhan Fikri, Hokky Caraka, Dony Tri Pamungkas and Victor Dethan.

In addition, in the U.23 Indonesia team that will participate in the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament held at home, there will also be a naturalized player, striker Jens Raven (19 years old, from the Dutch club Dordrecht).

"This is an almost completely new team, with an age of U.22, that PSSI has set up to prepare for 3 important goals from now until the end of the year. Including the goal of winning the U.23 Southeast Asian Championship (competing in July), passing the qualifying round (taking place in September) to be present at the U.23 Asian Finals 2026, and defending the gold medal in men's football at the 33rd SEA Games held in Thailand in December at the end of the year," CNN Indonesia said.

The Indonesian U.23 team is currently led by Dutch coach Gerald Vanenburg. Mr. Gerald Vanenburg is also a member of the Indonesian national team's coaching staff, as a technical assistant to head coach Kluivert.

He will also lead the young team of the archipelago country to participate in the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand, after the national team completes the fourth qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia in October and early November, if they participate in the play-off match.

The list of 30 players of the Indonesian U.23 team has just been announced by PSSI.

Photo: PSSI

U.23 Indonesia will gather from June 20 to prepare for the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament held at home in Jakarta and Bekasi from July 15 to July 29.

At the U.23 Southeast Asian tournament, Indonesia won the championship in 2019, while the U.23 Vietnam team won twice (the most) in the last two tournaments in 2022 and 2023. U.23 Thailand also won once in 2005.

The 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 Championship with 10 participating teams is divided into 3 groups like the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand. The host U.23 Indonesia team is in Group A with 4 teams, including the remaining teams such as Malaysia, Philippines and Brunei.

Vietnam U.23 team in group B has only 3 teams, with the remaining 2 teams being Cambodia and Laos. Thailand U.23 team in group C is similar, with Myanmar and Timor Leste. The teams compete in a round robin to calculate points, the 3 group winners and 1 group runner-up with the best record will advance to the semi-finals.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/indonesia-goi-8-cau-thu-vao-doi-tuyen-u23-tham-vong-lam-trum-dong-nam-a-185250617085043944.htm