Jakarta. Former Dutch football star Patrick Kluivert expressed his honor at being appointed head coach of the Indonesian national football team and shared his ambitions to achieve significant milestones with the Garuda team.

In his first statement following his appointment, confirmed by the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) on Wednesday, Kluivert voiced confidence in Indonesia's potential to excel on the global stage.

“Everybody knows that Indonesia has a vibrant football culture and a deep passion for the game, and being a part of this big nation with such big aspirations is both a privilege and a significant responsibility for me,” Kluivert said in an exclusive interview with renowned Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano.

A video of the interview was shared on the journalist’s X account.

“I’m very driven to contribute to this team's progress and success, and I’m looking forward to working with everybody and accomplishing our shared goals,” he added.

Kluivert highlighted his primary mission as guiding Indonesia to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.

“The mission is of course to qualify ourselves for the World Cup next year. I think we have the ability, the strength, and the passion to go for it,” he said.

The Dutchman underscored the importance of unity and support from fans, noting, “I think together we can achieve a lot of great things. It's important to remember that a team is not just about coaches, players, or people around the team. We're talking about all supporters. They are a vital part of our journey, and it has to be one mission, one team, and it's an honor to be part of it.”

The first message from @PatrickKluivert to Indonesia fans after being appointed as new head coach 🇮🇩🫱🏻‍🫲🏾 pic.twitter.com/7ESx9lVMzP

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 8, 2025

PSSI Deputy Chairman Zainudin Amali explained earlier that the decision to hire a Dutch coach was influenced by the strong ties between Indonesian football and the Netherlands, particularly among naturalized players.

“The majority of our naturalized players are Indonesian diaspora raised in the Netherlands,” Zainudin said in an interview with BTV.

“That’s why we prefer to hire a new coach from Europe, specifically the Netherlands, and we hope to make the best decision,” he added.

Kluivert replaces South Korean coach Shin Tae-yong, who managed the national team for four years before his recent dismissal. Under Shin’s leadership, Indonesia saw significant progress, but the PSSI has now turned to Kluivert to build on that foundation and take the team to new heights.