Indonesia U22 are assembling the strongest squad possible to defend the SEA Games football gold medal with the addition of five naturalized players from the Netherlands.
The five players of Dutch descent are defender Dion Markx, midfielder Ivar Jenner, and forwards Rafael Struick, Jens Raven, and Mauro Zijlstra.
Struick and Raven are playing in Indonesia. The remaining three, Markx, Zijlstra and Jenner, are playing for Dutch clubs. Since SEA Games 33 is not part of the FIFA international break, the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) is negotiating with clubs for their release.
Zijlstra is on the payroll of FC Volendam but has not played a single match in the Dutch national championship Eredivisie, while Dion Markx has played two matches for TOP Oss in the second-tier Dutch league Eerste Divisie. Ivar Jenner has played 68 matches for the FC Utrecht youth team.
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Two Indonesian players of Dutch origin, Rafael Struick (L) and Ivar Jenner will participate in the SEA Games 33 in Thailand. Photo by PSSI |
The squad is further bolstered by midfielder Marselino Ferdinan, Indonesia’s brightest young talent and a key contributor to the country’s SEA Games 32 gold medal win. However, the career of the 21-year-old midfielder is slowing down. Since 2022, he has been moving between Belgium (Deinze), England (Oxford United) and Slovakia (Trencin), but has only played 12 matches and scored one goal across those clubs.
The squad of Indonesia U22 feature players who competed in the recent ASEAN U23 Championship and the 2026 U23 Asian Cup qualifiers.
In addition to Ferdinan, the team include other SEA Games 32 gold medal winners – center-back Muhammad Ferarri and midfielder Ananda Raehan.
Coach Indra Sjafri affirmed that the team will strive to win the second consecutive gold medal.
“The decision was made after thorough data evaluation in the October and November training camps,” Sjafri said. “The coaching staff also gained more confidence after watching the players perform at the national championship.”
Indonesia are in Group C of SEA Games men’s football. Due to Cambodia’s withdrawal, Singapore have been moved from Group C to Group A, making Indonesia’s schedule lighter. They will face the Philippines on Dec. 8 and Myanmar on Dec. 12.
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