Indonesia’s national team scouts are aiming to build a pipeline of domestic talent capable of competing on the international stage. Head of Scouting Simon Tahamata expressed his ambition to identify and develop top Indonesian players.
“We need to coach the young players, giving them a pathway to potentially play for the national team. I will focus on finding talent here in Indonesia, because this country has a lot to offer,” Tahamata said Friday, February 13, 2026, at GBK Arena.
In recent years, the Indonesian national team has increasingly relied on naturalized players to bolster its squad. However, many of those players have subsequently chosen to play in the domestic Super League.
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Players like Thom Haye, Eliano Reijnders, Jordi Amat, Mauro Zijlstra, Shayne Pattynama, Dion Markx, Jens Raven, and Rafael Struick have opted to compete in the Super League. These naturalized players were initially hoped to continue their careers in European leagues.
“Naturalization is happening alongside developing the national team here. Again, Indonesia is a large country with a lot of talent. I aim for to send a message to coaches working with young players,” Tahamata stated.
“I encourage them to get these kids playing, as they influence 12 and 13-year-olds. It’s important they notice good examples,” he added.
Several naturalized players are still actively playing for clubs in Europe, including Jay Idzes, Calvin Verdonk, Justin Hubner, Maarten Paes, Emil Audero, and Joey Pelupessy.
(ran/pur)
