Erick Thohir Aims for Indonesia to Qualify for 2028 Olympics
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10 May 2024 14:30 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) chairman Erick Thohir has set a lofty target for the U-23 national team to qualify for the 2028 Olympics, underscoring his belief in the squad's burgeoning potential.
Despite falling short in a historic qualification bid for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they narrowly lost 1-0 to Guinea in the playoff match at the Clairefontaine Stadium in Paris on Thursday, May 9, Erick opined that the Garuda squad had nevertheless demonstrated their growing quality.
Thus, he lauded the team for reaching the final stage. “We did not succeed in this Olympics. But the long journey and the achievements of the players, coaches, and team officials from the Asian Cup to the playoff match demonstrated that our football has the quality for the Olympic games. I applaud it, and we are targeting the next Olympics,” he said, as quoted from the PSSI website.
The performance of the u-23 team coached by Shin Tae-yong was beyond expectations. The PSSI had initially targeted the team to qualify for the last eight of the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup. Instead, the debutants etched their names in history by reaching the semi-finals and securing a respectable fourth-place finish.
Erick Thohir assessed that this performance underscored that the team is on the right track and has a golden generation of players, most of whom are in their 20s.
“We have Witan, Marselino, Rizki Ridho, Ernando, plus naturalized players. Then, we have a blueprint until 2045 and consistently carry out long-term training. This means that the program we are running is on the track. We will be consistent and improve what is still lacking,” the PSSI chair said.
After missing out on their first Olympic appearance since 1956, it will be the turn of the senior team to compete in the 2026 World Cup qualifying agenda. Indonesia was scheduled to face Iraq on June 6 and the Philippines on June 11 at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta.
RANDY FAUZI FEBRIANSYAH
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