Kees Kwakman clarifies controversial statement about Indonesian national team

Kees Kwakman — a Dutch football analyst — provides clarification after his statement about the Indonesian national team sparked controversy on social media.

The former FC Groningen player admits he was surprised by his viral comments — particularly regarding his assessment that Indonesia is not worthy of appearing in the 2026 World Cup.

“The situation is quite intense. They translated my words from last week, and unfortunately, the news appeared slightly different there,” said Kwakman to Voetbal Primeur.

The football analyst emphasizes that there was a difference in meaning in the translation of his statement — which then triggered strong reactions from Indonesian netizens across various social media platforms.

He further explained that his comments were taken out of context, stating that he merely highlighted the challenges Indonesia faces in competing at the highest level rather than outright dismissing their qualification chances.

Kwakman also acknowledged the rapid development of football in Indonesia—pointing out the national team’s recent improvements and growing talent pool.