PSSI General Chairman Erick Thohir revealed that the Indonesian National Team has a reserve team with the same quality to replace the five players who are confirmed to be absent when facing China.
"We are quite confident because in every line, at least we always have players of the same quality," said Erick Thohir on the sidelines of the AFF U-23 Cup draw in Jimbaran, Badung Regency, Bali, Friday.
Five players who are certain to be absent from the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the Asian zone are goalkeepers Maarten Paes and Macelino Ferdinan, then Ragnar Oratmangoen, Sandy Walsh who are both injured and Eliano Reijnders.
However, the Minister of SOEs has not yet revealed the candidate for his replacement because it is in the hands of the coaching team.
Maarten Paes received an accumulation of yellow cards, namely in the match against Saudi Arabia on September 6, 2024 and the match against Bahrain on March 25, 2025.
Meanwhile, Marcelino received a yellow card each when facing Bahrain on October 10, 2024 and March 25, 2025.
