Indonesian players cried

Midfielder Thom Haye burst into tears right after referee Ma Ning blew the final whistle in the match against Iraq. Television cameras captured the moment he collapsed, tears streaming down his face, unable to contain his emotions.

Midfielder Thom Haye shed tears.

In the early morning of October 12, Indonesia suffered a 0-1 defeat to Iraq in the fourth qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup, officially ending their dream of participating in the biggest football festival on the planet. When referee Ma Ning blew the final whistle, the atmosphere in the stadium seemed to fall. The players of the archipelago collapsed in utter disappointment.

Midfielder Thom Haye was a typical image of that pain. He burst into tears on the field, forcing his teammates to run to comfort him. Captain Jay Idzes quickly went to hug Haye, while the Iraqi players, including Ali Jasim, also showed admirable sportsmanship by gently encouraging their opponent.

Haye, who started from the start, endured a difficult 90 minutes against a disciplined and physical Iraqi midfield. Up front, young Milano Jonathans – a talented FC Utrecht player – bowed his head, using his shirt to cover his face to hide his sadness. Striker Ole Romeny sat absentmindedly on the grass, while defender Kevin Diks silently bowed his head in the middle of the field, speechless.

Two consecutive defeats against Saudi Arabia and Iraq left Indonesia at the bottom of Group B, officially stopping in the fourth round of Asian qualifiers. The dream of the 2026 World Cup was shattered, but the tears of Thom Haye and his teammates were also proof of their aspiration and pride in dedicating themselves to the national team.

Source: https://znews.vn/tuyen-thu-indonesia-khoc-nuc-no-post1592934.html