Struggling Year for Indonesia’s National Team: Few Wins, World Cup Dreams Dashed, and Coaching Shakeup

In 2025, Indonesia’s national football team faced a challenging year, recording only three victories in eight matches across various competitions. The disappointing outcomes ultimately led to the dismissal of head coach Patrick Kluivert and his coaching staff, marking a turbulent chapter for the Garuda squad.

Under Kluivert’s leadership, the team participated in both international friendlies and the third-round qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in Asia. Early setbacks were severe, including a heavy 1-5 loss to Australia, though they managed to secure a narrow 1-0 win over Bahrain shortly after. The team showed flashes of promise but struggled to maintain consistency.

The third-round qualifiers ended with mixed results. Indonesia managed victories against China and Bahrain but suffered significant defeats to stronger opponents such as Japan. Across these four crucial matches, the team scored only three goals while conceding eleven, reflecting defensive weaknesses and inconsistent performance in high-stakes games.

During a September FIFA Matchday period, Indonesia played friendlies against Chinese Taipei and Lebanon as preparation for the fourth round of qualifiers. They achieved a dominant 6-0 win over Chinese Taipei, which was their last positive result of the year, but failed to break a 0-0 draw with Lebanon, leaving lingering doubts about the team’s readiness for tougher competition.

The fourth-round qualifiers proved decisive and disappointing. Indonesia faced tough opponents in Group B, including Arab Saudi and Iraq, and lost both matches. These consecutive defeats sealed their elimination from World Cup contention and intensified criticism, ultimately resulting in the firing of Kluivert and his staff. The year concluded as a sobering reflection on the gap between expectations and reality for the Garuda squad.

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