The coach who defeated U23 Vietnam leads U23 Indonesia

(Dan Tri) - The Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) officially appointed coach Indra Sjafri as head coach of the Indonesian U23 team to participate in the 33rd SEA Games in 2025. Mr. Sjafri is the champion of the 32nd SEA Games in 2023.

On the journey to win the Gold Medal in men's football at the 32nd SEA Games two years ago in Cambodia, coach Indra Sjafri helped the Indonesian U23 team defeat the Vietnamese U23 team of coach Troussier (French) in the semi-finals.

Coach Indra Sjafri (right) returns to lead the Indonesian U23 team at the SEA Games (Photo: Antara).

Mr. Indra Sjafri replaced Mr. Gerald Vanenburg (Netherlands), after the Indonesian U23 team failed to win the Southeast Asian U23 championship in July and failed in the Asian U23 qualifiers in early September.

After taking charge of leading the Indonesian U23 team to the SEA Games this year, coach Indra Sjafri briefly said: “I am a football coach, my job is to coach. I cannot ignore my responsibility to the Indonesian U23 team, this is a national duty.”

“In fact, if I wanted to stop at the peak of glory, I would have retired from coaching after the success at the 32nd SEA Games. That was the first time in 32 years that Indonesian football won a SEA Games gold medal. But I don’t want to stop there,” added coach Indra Sjafri.

With the return of coach Indra Sjafri, U23 Indonesia hopes to successfully defend the SEA Games gold medal. At this year's Southeast Asian Games , the young team from the archipelago country will compete for the championship with the U23 Vietnam and U23 Thailand teams.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/huan-luyen-vien-tung-danh-bai-u23-viet-nam-dan-dat-u23-indonesia-20250930094033507.htm