Ex-Barcelona star sacked from national team job after failing to secure World Cup spot

In an official statement, the PSSI announced the sacking of their entire coaching staff. This includes senior team coach Kluivert, along with his assistants Alex Pastoor and Danny Landzaat. The statement also confirmed the dismissal of Dutch nationals Gerald Vanenburg, coach of the Indonesia U-23 squad, and Frank van Kempen, coach of the Indonesia U-20 team. The coaching staff had signed two-year contracts in January, but Indonesia’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup led to their premature dismissal in a strategic decision. 

Indonesia were placed in a group in the Asian World Cup qualifiers alongside Saudi Arabia and Iraq, with each team playing the others once. They lost 3-2 to Saudi Arabia, while Iraq beat them 1-0. As a result, Indonesia finished bottom of the group, with Saudi Arabia qualifying automatically for the 2026 World Cup and Iraq advancing to the play-offs. Under Kluivert, Indonesia played eight games, recording three wins, one draw and four losses.

A member of Ajax’s golden generation in the 1990s, Kluivert won the Eredivisie and Champions League in the 1994-95 season under manager Louis van Gaal. He later joined Barcelona, forming a lethal partnership with Rivaldo and helping the club retain the 1998-99 La Liga title. After spells with Newcastle United and PSV, he retired at Lille. Kluivert also served as assistant coach at Australian side Brisbane Roar under Ange Postecoglou and later with the Netherlands national team under Van Gaal in 2014. In 2025, he replaced South Korean coach Shin Tae-yong as head coach of the Indonesian national team.

Kluivert will look to put the setback of his Indonesian sacking behind him and aims to return to the dugout as soon as possible.