PETALING JAYA: Indonesia enter the SEA Games as strong favourites to defend the gold medal they won two years ago, thanks to a formidable squad assembled by veteran coach Indra Sjafri.
Star winger Marselino Ferdinan (pic), who plays in Slovakia for AS Trencin, heads the roster and is expected to serve as the primary playmaker for the Garuda Muda, a side brimming with attacking talent.
Marselino is not the only overseas-based player Indra has called up for the Thailand SEA Games.
Three Dutch-based players also made the cut: defender Dion Markx of Top Oss, midfielder Ivar Jenner of FC Utrecht, and striker Mauro Zijlstra of Volendam.
Other prominent names in the 23-man squad include defenders Kakang Rudianto and Robi Darwis (Persib Bandung), as well as forwards Rafael Struick (Dewa United) and Jens Raven (Bali United).
Indonesia have been drawn in Group C alongside Myanmar and the Philippines.
Only the group winners will advance directly to the semi-finals – an objective Indra is determined to meet as his team open their campaign.
Their first match is against the Philippines at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Dec 8.
Indonesia are the reigning gold medallists, having defeated Thailand 5–2 in the final at the 2023 Games in Cambodia.
