Former sports director of Barcelona Jordi Cruyff has been appointed advisor to the national team of Indonesia, announced the president of the local football association, Erik Thohir.
Jordi CruyffThe ex-midfielder of Donetsk Metallurg will begin his duties in March and will work alongside the new head coach of the team, Patrick Kluivert.
The Indonesian Football Association aims to do everything possible to help the national team qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The last time Indonesia participated in the World Cup was in 1938, competing under the name Dutch East Indies.
After six matches played in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the Asian zone, Indonesia is in third place in its group with 6 points. It trails the leader Japan by 10 points, but is just one behind the second-placed Australia, which currently holds the last direct spot for the World Championship. If Indonesia finishes third or fourth, it will have a chance to qualify for the tournament through playoff matches. Competing for these spots are Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and China, which also have 6 points each.
Jordi Cruyff is 51 years old; he is the son of the legendary Johan Cruyff, one of the most prominent footballers in the history of Barcelona and the Netherlands.
