PSSI Boss Says Indonesia Must Improve in Asia Standings After Qualifying for U-17 World Cup

April 14, 2025 | 10:42 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI), Erick Thohir, said the focus of the Indonesian U-17 national team is improving its standings in Asia. “Of course, now that we have achieved the (U-17 World Cup) target, we must not be complacent. We must now improve our ranking," said Erick in Jakarta on Monday, April 14, 2025.

The Indonesian U-17 national team has secured a spot in this year's U-17 World Cup after advancing to the quarter-finals of the 2025 Asian Cup. The Young Garuda squad is facing North Korea tonight. Erick hopes that the Indonesian U-17 national team can surpass their best ranking in the U-17 Asian Cup, when they advanced to the semifinals in 1990.

There are chances for the Young Garudas to surpass the 1990 achievement, but Erick did not wish for that expectation to burden the team. "But again, they must prepare themselves, as this achievement will be theirs, as a team and a player,” said Erick.

He stated that the U-17 national team players, in general, come from diverse backgrounds and parental support. Thus, the players must take their chances at the Asian Cup to make history. 

Erick added that the Young Garuda squad’s achievement to qualify at the U-17 World Cup is evidence of PSSI’s comprehensive football development efforts. The football body aims to qualify the national team, from youth groups to senior level, for the World Cup in line with the national football development priorities in President Prabowo Subianto's Asta Cita Program.

To achieve this target, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has allocated a fund of Rp199.7 billion to PSSI for football development.

Celebration of a goal by the Indonesian U-17 national team players when playing against the Afghanistan U-17 team in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on April 11, 2025. Throughout the tournament, the Indonesian U-17 team has only conceded one goal, while North Korea has conceded three times. AFC Photo.

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