The General Chairman of the All Indonesia Football Association, Erick Thohir learned a lesson after the Indonesian U-17 National Team was slaughtered 0-6 by North Korea U-17 in the quarter finals of the 2025 U-17 Asian Cup. Erick also appealed to supporters and netizens not to punish the Indonesian U-17 National Team players.
The Indonesian U-17 National Team lost 0-6 to North Korea U-17 in the quarter finals of the 2025 U-17 Asian Cup at the King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium, Jeddah, Monday (14/4) evening.
Despite the crushing defeat, Erick still admires the achievements of the Indonesian U-17 National Team in the 2025 U-17 Asian Cup.
The reason is, the Indonesian U-17 National Team managed to sweep all three matches in Group C with a victory that ensured they qualified for the quarter finals of the 2025 U-17 Asian Cup as well as the 2025 U-17 World Cup.
“It must be admitted that the last eight round is indeed tough. Look at how Japan was defeated by Saudi Arabia on penalties. Then the emergence of new powers, such as Uzbekistan whose game is consistent, both juniors and seniors and can beat other Asian powers,” said Erick Thohir.
“That’s the sustainable coaching model that we have to find so that we can be like Japan, South Korea, and now Uzbekistan,” Erick added.
On that basis, Erick stated that he would pay more attention to the Indonesian U-17 National Team towards the U-17 World Cup.
“Their achievements indicate that the program we are running has real results. We prove it. If in 2023 we went to the U-17 World Cup because we were the host, now we are repeating it through qualifications,” said Erick.
“The players and coaching team really give us pride so that the All Indonesia Football Association will prepare them more maturely and stronger so that they can go through the upcoming U-17 World Cup with much better achievements,” Erick added.
Erick also emphasized that All Indonesia Football Association cannot stop running the program to develop the achievements of young Indonesian players.
“We are faced with the challenge of how to prepare the upcoming U-17 National Team that is as good as the U-17 National Team today. So the coaching of the Young Garuda must be continuous,” said Erick.
