Netherlands and Barcelona great Patrick Kluivert was appointed Indonesia manager on Wednesday, tasked with taking the country to its first World Cup since independence.
The 48-year-old former striker is inheriting a team comprised mainly of Dutch-born players who became naturalized to represent the Southeast Asian nation.
“The Dutch football legend has signed a two-year contract from 2025 to 2027 with an option to extend,” Indonesian football association PSSI said in a statement.
Kluivert, whose managerial career has not coincided with his illustrious playing days, is scheduled to arrive in Indonesia on Saturday and be released to the public the following day.
The Dutchman was widely linked to the role after the Indonesian national team controversially sacked South Korea coach Shin Tae-yong on Monday.
Coach Singh led Indonesia, ranked 127th in the FIFA rankings, to the decisive third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Indonesia has only participated in the World Cup once, in 1938, when it was under Dutch colonial rule. The country gained independence in 1945.
With 1 win and 3 draws in 6 games, they are in 3rd place in their qualifying group and are firmly aiming for 2026.
Also read | Neymar says 2026 FIFA World Cup will be his last, hints at reunion with Messi and Suarez
The top two finishers will go straight to North America, while third and fourth place will advance to another qualifying round.
Indonesia’s next qualifier will be a crucial trip to Australia in March. Australia are second in Group C of the Asian Qualifiers, but are only one point behind.
Japan is the unruly leader of the group.
An Indonesian Football Association official admitted to AFP that Kluivert’s appointment was still unpopular with fans who supported Singh.
However, the official said on condition of anonymity: “Singh had problems communicating with the European players.
“That’s why my successor is a Dutch coach.”
Born in Amsterdam, Kluivert enjoyed a glittering career with Champions League-winning Ajax, before moving to AC Milan and then Barcelona before retiring as a player in 2008.
He was one of the most feared forwards in Europe at the time, scoring 123 goals in six seasons with the Spanish giants.
He also played in 79 games for the national team and scored 40 points.
Kluivert’s career as a director was not all that spectacular.
His last coaching role was in 2023, when he spent five months in charge of Türkiye’s Adana Demirspor.
Previously, in 2021, he served as interim manager of Curacao.
Much of his coaching experience has been as an assistant, particularly as assistant to former Ajax and Netherlands international Clarence Seedorf, who was with Cameroon from 2018 to 2019.
From 2012 to 2014, he was Louis van Gaal’s number two for the Dutch national team.
