'Don't think about the World Cup anymore, Indonesia should focus on the AFF Cup'

Coach Dejan Antonic believes the Indonesian national team has made remarkable progress recently but needs to maintain confidence to pursue more realistic goals in the near future.

Shared on the YouTube channel Akamsi, Coach Dejan Antonic, newly appointed head of Semen Padang FC (Indonesia), expressed satisfaction with what Coach Patrick Kluivert's team showed in the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers. Although they didn’t advance past round 4, Indonesia proved they can compete with the region’s top teams.

“I think the Indonesian team performed very well. Many may see it as a failure, but I don’t. The first and toughest step has been achieved by Indonesia. Now is the time to look ahead,” the Serbian strategist said.

According to Dejan, facing two strong opponents, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, made Indonesia’s chances to advance slim. However, he affirmed that Indonesia came very close to a historic milestone. “We didn’t fail; we just faced teams of higher caliber. The World Cup goal is no longer far off, which shows Indonesia has changed a lot compared to before,” he stated.

Coach Dejan Antonic urged the Indonesian team to quickly overcome their disappointment and focus on more important tournaments in 2026, like the AFF Cup and preparing for the 2027 Asian Cup. He sees these as opportunities for the team to assert their status in Southeast Asia and reach continental levels.

“Next up are the AFF Cup and the Asian Cup finals. These two competitions must be the main targets. Hopefully, the team can reach the final or even win the Southeast Asian championship. I believe in the current players’ potential,” Dejan expressed.

He also emphasized the importance of maintaining stability instead of making too many changes after each defeat. “Don’t think that failure means changing the coach or replacing many players. Indonesia is on the right track. We need patience and to keep improving,” the 56-year-old coach added.

When asked about the difference between the current team and the one under Coach Shin Tae Yong, Dejan Antonic said Indonesia now has a much stronger squad. “The current team includes many naturalized players, several who play in Europe, and those with experience at the highest levels. These are key factors for aiming at bigger goals. We’re halfway there; with continued improvement, a breakthrough is possible,” he said.

With strong belief in Indonesian football’s development, Coach Dejan Antonic confirmed that the World Cup qualifier loss is only a temporary setback. “Trust this team. If development continues in the right direction, Indonesia will surely come back stronger, and one day soon, the World Cup dream will come true,” he concluded.