President of Indonesian Football Federation unexpectedly 'promises' to stop naturalizing players

In an interview on August 4, Mr. Thohir suddenly announced that Indonesian football will no longer depend on naturalized players in its long-term plan.

According to Mr. Thohir, the abuse of naturalization can harm the training and development of young players in the country.

Specifically, Bola newspaper quoted Mr. Thohir: "Over-reliance on naturalized players can negatively affect the development of young talent from the grassroots level. I believe that Indonesia cannot continue on this path if it wants to build a sustainable football foundation."

However, Mr. Thohir also admitted that at the national team level, using naturalized players is unavoidable at the current stage, when Indonesia is undergoing a transformation and needs to maintain competitiveness.

“In the national team, we accept quick solutions to achieve immediate results. That is because we have the opportunity, the right motivation at the right time," Mr. Thohir explained. Specifically, Indonesia's motivation is a ticket to the 2026 World Cup.

However, with youth teams like U-17 or U-20, he affirmed: “Should we build the U-17 or U-20 team through naturalization? Of course not. If we do so, youth training at the grassroots level will be stifled. The national team cannot forever depend on naturalization in forming the squad. We need to develop domestic talents.”

Regarding the recent controversy over some U-20 players of foreign origin playing for the Indonesian national team, Mr. Thohir said this was not a case of "borrowed" naturalization as public opinion feared.

He affirmed: “Mathew Baker and Welber Jardim are actually Indonesian citizens. They have had Indonesian passports before. These are players belonging to the Indonesian diaspora group and have every right to represent the national team.”

He also stressed that it is necessary to distinguish between newly naturalized players and those who have long held Indonesian nationality.

While not denying the role of naturalization in the transition period, Mr. Thohir affirmed that the long-term orientation is to “return to the roots”, and that proper investment in youth training will be the strategic focus.

“We will not build a national team based on naturalization. We need to protect the sustainable development of domestic football."