TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian U-17 World Cup National Team coaches are currently selecting players to strengthen the main team for the Cup next month. Technical Director of PSSI Indra Sjafri stated that Coach Bima Sakti will announce the selected squad on October 29.

"[The final line-up] will be announced on October 29, composed of 18 players and three goalkeepers for the U-17 World Cup," he said after the opening ceremony of Media Cup 2023 at Triboone Mini Soccer in Jakarta today.

The Indonesian U-17 national team trained in Germany from September 18 to October 23 for five weeks. Indra Sjafri, who accompanied the team, stated that the players improved during their time in Germany after conducting friendly matches with local German clubs. The Indonesian team won two matches and lost four with one draw.

"I was [in Germany] and I saw that they have improved. Coach Frank (Frank Wormuth) trained them and the players competed with great teams. The players of these clubs were older than 17 years old, they were 19 and 20," he said.

The 60-year-old coach stated that a number of national teams for the U-17 World Cup had invited the Indonesian U-17 national team for a friendly match. However, the Garuda Squad is currently focusing on its final preparation before the championship begins in November.

The only friendly match the Indonesian team agreed to was the upcoming match with Torpedo FC Moscow on October 29, 2023.

The national team for the U-17 World Cup will head to Surabaya next Friday, November 3. Indonesia is included in group F and will face Ecuador in its first match at Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium in Surabaya on November 10, 2023.

RANDY FAUZI FEBRIANSYAH

Editor's Choice: Indonesia Aims to Meet FIFA's Spectator Target for U-17 World Cup

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News