Patrick Kluivert has quit as Indonesia head coach just days after the country's hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup ended.
The former Barcelona striker was appointed on a two-year contract in January as Indonesia sought to reach the World Cup for the first time since independence in 1945.
Saudi Arabian losses
and Iraq completed Indonesia's qualifying campaign last week.
“The Indonesian Football Association and the coaching staff of the Indonesian national team have officially agreed to terminate their cooperation early through mutual termination,” the football federation said in a statement. “This step was taken as part of a comprehensive assessment of the national football coaching and development programme.”
In a message to fans posted on social media, Kluivert, who made 79 caps for the Netherlands as a player, said he shared their disappointment.
“The defeats against Saudi Arabia and Iraq were bitter lessons, but also a reminder of how lofty our collective dreams are,” he wrote. “As head coach, I take full responsibility.”
Kluivert, 49, replaced South Korean coach Shin Tae-yong as the Indonesian federation stepped up its policy of naturalizing European players of Indonesian origin. The program helped the team reach the final qualifying stage for the first time since 1938, when it competed at the World Championships as part of the Dutch East Indies.
Most of Kluivert's final 23-man squad were born overseas, mainly in the Netherlands. However, with the new coaching setup, the results did not noticeably improve. Indonesia won three of eight games while Kluivert was in charge.
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