2024-03-09 12:24:27
Indonesian naturalized goalkeeper candidate Maarten Paes (right) while strengthening his club FC Dallas against Lionel Messi’s (left) club Inter Miami. (ANTARA/Instagram Maarten Paes)
jpnn.com – JAKARTA – General Chairman of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Erick Thohir said that the potential Indonesian naturalized player Maarten Paes might only be able to strengthen the national team in June, or when competing in the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the Asian zone against Iraq and the Philippines at home.
Erick said this after Maarten was not included in the 28 squad selected by Indonesian National Team Coach Shin Tae-yong (STY) for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in March when they played Vietnam twice at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta on March 21 and at the My Dinh Stadium, Hanoi. on March 26.
Meanwhile, on the other hand, two colleagues who underwent the naturalization process with Maarten, Thom Haye and Ragnar Oratmangoen, were called by STY to fight The Golden Stars.
“So, even if Maarten’s FIFA process goes smoothly, everything goes smoothly, Maarten Paes will only be able to strengthen in June or after June,” said Erick to journalists after attending the Member Meeting and Extraordinary Congress of the 2024 Indonesian Olympic Committee in Jakarta, Friday ( 8/3).
As for the reason why the 25-year-old goalkeeper cannot join in the near future, Erick only said that the league where Maarten plays, the United States’ Major League Soccer (MLS), is currently playing because it only started its season at around the end of February. “Maarten couldn’t come because MLS was playing,” said Erick.
This season, the goalkeeper who was born in Nijmegen, Netherlands, has always appeared in full when defending his club FC Dallas, which is in sixth place in the western MLS standings with a collection of three points.
The naturalization process for Maarten, Ragnar Oratmangoen, and Thom Haye has now been approved by Commission X and Commission III DPR RI at a working meeting at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday (7/3).
Furthermore, the recommendation for approval will be submitted to the DPR plenary meeting for a decision to be taken.
After the plenary meeting, the three players will take the oath at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.
Next, the three of them will process their identity card (KTP) and family card to get a passport. (antara/jpnn)
PSSI chairman Erick Thohir emphasized that Maarten Paes will only be able to strengthen the Indonesian national team in June.
Editor & Reporter : M. Kusdharmadi