The Indonesian Football Federation has announced the departure of its Dutch head coach, Patrick Kluivert, bringing an end to his nearly one-year spell with the national team.
Both parties agreed to part ways on mutual terms.
Kluivert’s exit, confirmed on Thursday, came less than a week after Indonesia’s crushing defeat to Iraq in Jeddah, a result that shattered their hopes of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
“After an open, full and respectful discussion, both parties agreed to end this partnership,” the federation wrote in a statement on its official Instagram page.
While no specific reason was provided for the decision, the announcement marks the end of a campaign that had raised both hope and heartbreak among Indonesian football fans.
The News Chronicle reports that Indonesia had been chasing a historic qualification, which would have been their first World Cup appearance since gaining independence from the Netherlands in 1945. Reaching the fourth round of the Asian qualifiers, however, represented the nation’s best run in history.
Kluivert, a former Ajax, AC Milan, and Barcelona striker took charge of the team in January with a contract originally scheduled to run until 2027.
During his tenure, he relied heavily on a squad featuring players from Indonesia’s Dutch diaspora, blending European experience with local talent in a bid to elevate the country’s football fortunes.
His departure now leaves the Indonesian Football Federation searching for a new tactician to continue the momentum and build on the team’s promising progress.
