Indonesia finalizes 6 naturalized stars to face Vietnam U19 at AFF tournament

The U19 Indonesia team has confirmed its 23-man roster for the ASEAN U19 tournament, including six overseas-born players.

Indonesia U19 head coach Nova Arianto has finalized his player selection following a training camp in Yogyakarta in preparation for the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship. Coach Nova selected 23 players for the Indonesian national U19 team, including six players from the Indonesian diaspora abroad: Eizar Jacob, Mathew Baker, Timothy Baker, Amar Brkic, Zinadein Auilia, and Welber Jardim.

Notable in the list is Amar Brkic, who has Indonesian-German heritage; Mathew Baker and Timothy Baker currently play in Australia; and Welber Jardim is under contract with Brazil's São Paulo FC. Additionally, Zinadein Ardiansyah, Eizar Tanjung, and Igor Sanders are players developing their careers in Australia and the Netherlands.

These are all players who have represented Indonesian youth teams in major tournaments like the 2023 and 2025 U17 World Cups. Their international experience gives them high marks in technical skill, composure, and ability to handle pressure. Their presence is expected to give Indonesia U19 a more quality and balanced squad compared to regional rivals.

Additionally, Coach Nova trusted and selected Theo Leeming for the Indonesia U19 national team, a winger from Persija Jakarta's youth team, born on December 20, 2007. Nova also relies on several regular members of the Indonesia U19 national team, such as Dafa Al Gasemi, Putu Panji, and Algazani Dwi.

Names such as Fabio Azkairawan, Evandra Florasta, Nazriel Alvaro, and Arkhan Kaka have also been selected for the Indonesia U19 national team for the 2026 AFF U19 Cup. Young talent Reno Salampessy from Persipura Jayapura also gets a chance to join the Indonesia U19 national team for the AFF U19 Cup 2026. The 18-year-old put in an impressive performance last season.

Although not fielding their strongest lineup, Vietnam U19 is still expected to deliver a positive performance against their familiar rival. According to the schedule, the clash between Vietnam U19 and Indonesia U19 will take place at 8:00 PM on June 7. This is considered a crucial match in the race for a spot in the next round as well as affirming the status of the two leading youth football nations in Southeast Asia.