The Indonesian national football team is facing concerns due to the consecutive release of naturalized players.

Indonesia's 'OKZone Bola' reported on the 21st (Korean time) that "Vietnamese media has noted the unfavorable situation of Indonesia's naturalized players in the national team. This is seen as a serious warning for head coach Patrick Kluivert."

Recently, the Indonesian national team has been intensifying its naturalization policy. After dismissing head coach Shin Tae-yong in January and appointing Dutch-born Kluivert, they are aggressively recruiting naturalized players.

As a result, the Kluivert-led team boasts a much stronger lineup, consisting of a best eleven made up solely of naturalized players. Furthermore, the Indonesian national team has established a squad with the highest market value (approximately 100 billion won) among ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) countries. Unlike China and Vietnam, they have pursued naturalization unconditionally for anyone with even a trace of Indonesian blood by tracing back to grandparents.

Indonesia's naturalization strategy is influencing other Southeast Asian countries as well. Malaysia is also quickly incorporating naturalized talents like Imanol Alguacil (2.5 million euros, 3.9 billion won) and João Pedro Figueiredo (2.1 million euros, 3.3 billion won) into their national team, following in Indonesia's footsteps.

However, there are a number of naturalized Indonesian players who are experiencing difficulties. While they have played a key role in the national team, as many as six released players have been let go from their clubs.

According to OKZone Bola, Jordi Amat, Shane Patinama, Justin Hubner, Tom Haye, Raphael Struick, and Nathan Tjoe-A-On have all been kicked out of their clubs. Tjoe-A-On had a contract with Swansea City in England until the summer of 2026 but was released.

Vietnam's 'Soha' noted, "Indonesian naturalization stars are facing unfortunate situations. This is a warning signal for head coach Kluivert. A series of bad news has arisen as many naturalized players are having to leave their clubs."

The media also stated, "The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) may need to intervene so that players can find stable playing environments," arguing that PSSI should actively engage in problem-solving. However, if they leverage national level support to bring these players back to Indonesia's domestic league, it remains uncertain whether those players will be competitive enough to meet expectations.

The Indonesian national team is set to compete in the 4th round of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asian qualifiers this October. Indonesia has secured its last opportunity to grab a World Cup qualification ticket by finishing 4th in Group C during the 3rd qualifiers.

For Indonesia, it could be a significant setback if naturalized players cannot maintain their condition ahead of an important match. Particularly, Hubner is a key defender, and Tjoe-A-On and Struick are also resources consistently called up to the national team. If these players collapse, it would put a red light on the hopes of head coach Shin Tae-yong's disciples for World Cup qualification.

OKZone Bola also emphasized, "If the players are unable to join new clubs, their performance will surely decline. They must find clubs immediately. This is crucial for the Indonesian national team's performance needed for the Asian qualifying round 4 occurring from October 8 to 14."

Finally, the media added, "There is still enough time for six players to join new clubs. This is essential to enable them to maintain their physical condition and performance."

[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Tjoe-A-On social media.

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