Indonesia naturalized player praised highly by coach Patrick Kluivert

Indonesia naturalized player Eliano Reijnders made an impact with his first goal for the national team and received high praise from Dutch coach Patrick Kluivert after the victory over Chinese Taipei.

Indonesia’s head coach Patrick Kluivert gave special compliments to Eliano Reijnders following his impressive performance in the FIFA Matchday friendly against Chinese Taipei at Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium, Surabaya, on the evening of September 5th.

In this match, Eliano was in the starting lineup and played until the 80th minute. He not only played a major role in the overall team performance but also scored a goal himself, helping Indonesia secure a convincing 6-0 victory. This was Eliano’s first goal since joining the national team, marking an important milestone in the career of the player currently with Persib Bandung.

After the match, Kluivert expressed his satisfaction: “Eliano started very well and played impressively. He is a versatile player who can cover multiple positions. Today, Eliano played in three different roles and fulfilled all tasks excellently. He is a fantastic player and a true teammate.”

Eliano’s goal came in the 40th minute following a beautiful combination. From a long ball, Yakob Sayuri skillfully carried the ball down the wing and delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area. Chinese Taipei goalkeeper Huang Chiu Lin mishandled the situation, allowing Eliano to be in the right place at the right time to score close-range, increasing Indonesia’s lead to 4-0.

Notably, these recent days have been busy for Eliano Reijnders. After months of waiting, he officially signed with Persib Bandung, ending a turbulent period in Europe. Soon after, he was called up to the national team and immediately seized the opportunity to make a strong impression in front of the Surabaya crowd.

The 6-0 win over Chinese Taipei gives Indonesia a smooth start ahead of the 2026 Asian Cup qualifiers. With this convincing display, Eliano Reijnders promises to be a strategic asset for Patrick Kluivert in important upcoming matches.