Jakarta. Indonesia's national team coach, Shin Tae-yong, has defended the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) naturalization project ahead of their upcoming match against Vietnam in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

Shin Tae-yong has included nine naturalized players in the squad to face Vietnam on Thursday, namely Sandy Walsh, Jay Idzes, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Justin Hubner, Thom Haye, Marc Klok, Ivar Jenner, Rafael Struick, and Ragnar Oratmangoen.

Despite facing criticisms, including from Vietnamese media, and comparisons of the Garuda squad to the Dutch national team by Vietnamese defender Do Du May, Shin Tae-yong reiterated that the naturalized players have Indonesian blood and deserve to represent the Red and White.

"These naturalized players have Indonesian blood. Therefore, they deserve Indonesian passports and the right to wear the Garuda emblem on their chests," said the 53-year-old South Korean coach at the pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

Shin Tae-yong believes that the collaboration between local and naturalized players will strengthen the Garuda squad, especially with the valuable experience that European-based players bring.

The Indonesian national team will confront Vietnam in the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta on Thursday. Shin promised an aggressive performance from Indonesia.

The coach's determination stems from Indonesia's underwhelming performance in the 2023 Asian Cup, where they scored only three goals and conceded ten times. Despite this, Shin is confident in the team's development and promises attacking football against Vietnam.

"In the match against Vietnam, we will aim to avoid conceding goals and score many goals. We're training for that," he added.

Although three players, Jordi Amat, Elkan Baggott, and Yance Sayuri, will be absent due to injuries, Shin Tae-yong remains optimistic about the team's prospects.

Meanwhile, Vietnam's coach, Philippe Troussier, acknowledged Indonesia's victory over them in the 2023 Asian Cup and is prepared for a strong performance to seek revenge.

"We have strong experience, especially in the Asian Cup. I see our performance as very positive, including in the match against Indonesia. Regarding the second round against Indonesia last January, I think we deserved at least to equalize," he said.

The upcoming match against Vietnam is crucial for Indonesia to secure their first three points in Group F of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers. Currently, the Garuda squad has only earned one point from a draw and a loss, while Vietnam has already collected three points from one win and one defeat.