5 days ago
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PSSI Chairman General Erick Thohir (right) with Indonesian Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Muti.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — PSSI General Chairman Erick Thohir considers the FIFA Series 2026 event held March 27-30, 2026 in Jakarta to be an important momentum to test and build the foundation of the Indonesian national team towards a bigger competition.
Erick appreciates the trust FIFA has placed in Indonesia as one of the nine FIFA Series hosts. He also thanked FIFA President Gianni Infantino as well as the Indonesian government for their full support of the organization of the tournament.
According to Erick, the opportunity to face a higher ranked team such as the Bulgarian national team ranked 87 in the world became a valuable experience for the Garuda squad.
“It's part of the coach's roadmap to build the solidity of the team. We must dare to fight teams of the highest quality to raise the level of the game,” said Erick Thohir after the PSSI Awards 2026 event at Studio 6 Emtek Jakarta, Saturday (28/3/2026) evening.
He also reminded that the process of building a national team cannot be instantaneous. Coach John Herdman, he said, has reiterated the importance of a long process in forming a competitive team.
“The national team can go up and down. The important thing is that we have a good program and that all parties continue to support,” Erick said.
