Indonesian player's dream shattered at Ligue 1

Calvin Verdonk had a less than happy Ligue 1 debut.

On September 28, Verdonk made history when he was named in the starting lineup of Lille against Lyon at home in round 6 of Ligue 1. Verdonk became the first Indonesian player to start in the French National Championship, and the first ASEAN player to participate in this tournament.

Despite high expectations, the left-back had a disappointing match, unable to help Lille avoid a 0-1 defeat to Lyon at home. This was the second consecutive match Verdonk suffered a defeat in a Lille shirt.

When Lille faced Lens in round 5, Verdonk was brought on by coach Bruno Genesio in the 18th minute to replace Romain Perraud who was injured. He played the whole match and received a yellow card, unable to help Lille avoid a heavy 0-3 loss to Lens.

Two consecutive defeats in Ligue 1 have left Lille with much criticism, especially in defence. The defeat has marred Verdonk’s debut, with many Lille fans even beginning to doubt the Indonesian’s ability.

In the summer transfer window of 2025, Lille spent 3 million euros to recruit Verdonk from NEC Nijmegen with a 3-year contract. Verdonk is a player of Dutch origin. He obtained Indonesian nationality in June 2024. Since then, Calvin Verdonk has played 11 times for the Indonesian national team, making a great contribution to helping the archipelago team reach the 4th qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.

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Source: https://znews.vn/tuyen-thu-indonesia-vo-mong-tai-ligue-1-post1589338.html