Patrick Kluivert Appointed Indonesia's Head Coach

Patrick Kluivert, the former Netherlands and Barcelona striker has taken on the role of Indonesia’s new head coach. The 48-year-old replaces South Korean Shin Tae-yong and will guide Indonesia to the 2026 World Cup which will feature 48 teams. Kluivert, who won the Champions League with Ajax and had a stint in the Premier League with Newcastle, has signed a two-year contract with an option for extension. Indonesia has only qualified for the World Cup once in 1938 when they were still known as the Dutch East Indies.

Kluivert’s first major challenge will be a third-round qualifying match against Australia in March. In their six-team group, the top two teams will automatically qualify for the World Cup while the third and fourth-place teams will move to the next qualifying stage. Currently, Indonesia sits third in the group with four points from six matches. Kluivert brings managerial experience including a five-month tenure with Turkish club Adana Demirspor in 2023.

He has also managed Curacao twice and worked as an assistant coach under Louis van Gaal and Clarence Seedorf for the Netherlands and Cameroon national teams, respectively. With Indonesia ranked 127th in the FIFA rankings, Patrick Kluivert faces a challenging task to improve the team’s performance and secure a spot in the upcoming World Cup.