Jakarta (dpa)
Dutchman Martin Paes, the Indonesian national team goalkeeper, revealed the scenes behind his move to represent the Asian team, adding that he is looking forward to participating in the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
“The connection to Indonesia comes from my grandmother, who was born in the city of Kediri, and lived there for several years before the outbreak of World War II,” said Paris, who was born in the city of Nijmegen and represented the Netherlands national team for under-21 youth.
He added in an interview with the official website of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA): “I was very attached to my grandmother, and she taught me a lot about Indonesian culture, and then I knew a few years ago that I was qualified to play for the Indonesian national team.”
He pointed out that the Indonesian Football Association contacted him late last year, 2023, and this coincided with the deterioration of his grandmother’s health condition, adding, “Representing the Indonesian national team made her smile for the last time. It was an easy decision for me, but unfortunately she died before my first appearance with the national team.”
Paes, 26, began his career with the Indonesian national team last September, where he contributed to a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, followed by a goalless draw against Australia in Jakarta, in the first two rounds of qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
The Dallas goalkeeper continued, “I quickly integrated with my new teammates in the Indonesian national team, and I succeeded in making good saves during the first two matches, and the team presented a good collective performance on the defensive level.”
Martin Paes continued, “The atmosphere of the second match in Jakarta was amazing, as there were 80,000 spectators in the stands. The difference between cultures is not important to me, and the biggest challenge remains adapting to the time difference.”
The goalkeeper of Dutch origins concluded, “Qualifying for the World Cup is a beautiful dream that Indonesian fans deserve, thanks to what I have seen of the growing popularity of football here, and the Indonesian national team has young elements that make it believe in its chances of being in the World Cup in the coming years.”
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