Agency Report
Patrick Kluivert’s brief reign as Indonesia’s head coach has come to an end after both parties agreed to part ways following the nation’s failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 49-year-old Dutch and Barcelona legend was appointed in January with hopes of guiding Indonesia to their first-ever World Cup since independence, but a string of poor results — including recent defeats to Iraq and Saudi Arabia — sealed their fate.
Kluivert oversaw just eight matches, winning three, drawing one, and losing four. Despite the disappointment, he described his tenure as “an unforgettable journey.”
“Even though I’m deeply disappointed that we didn’t make it to the World Cup, I’ll always be proud of what we built together,” Kluivert wrote on Instagram.
The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) confirmed his exit as a “mutual termination,” saying it came after “a comprehensive evaluation of the national football coaching and development programme.” The federation has yet to announce a successor.
Kluivert, who famously scored the winning goal for Ajax in the 1995 Champions League final before going on to star for AC Milan and Barcelona, retired as a player in 2008. His managerial career has been less glittering, featuring brief spells at Adana Demirspor in Turkey and Curacao, and a stint as assistant to Louis van Gaal with the Netherlands.
AFP.