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Indonesia U-19 national team coach Nova Arianto has spoken about his main objectives ahead of the 2026 ASEAN U-19 Championship.

In the upcoming competition, Indonesia will compete in Group A alongside Vietnam, Myanmar, and Timor-Leste.

As a coach who previously guided the Indonesia U-17 national team to qualify for the U-17 World Cup, Nova has already achieved a notable milestone in his career.

Now, he faces new challenges with the Indonesia U-20 squad, where expectations are high for continued progress.

Despite being a local coach, Nova has consistently demonstrated strong potential and is regarded as one of the country’s most promising football tacticians for the future.

Nova explained that he has set a personal goal to rigorously train and develop his players. His mission is to prepare them to eventually earn a place in the senior national team when the time comes.

He emphasised that mental strength is a crucial factor, as international competition is becoming increasingly demanding.

“When asked about my personal target, since my appointment with the U-17 national team,” Nova said, “once again, I am grateful to be given the opportunity with the U-20 team. My focus is on shaping the players’ mentality.”

“From a psychological standpoint, I want these players to be mentally ready to step into the senior national team,” Nova Arianto told BolaSport.com, as quoted from Kompas.com.

The coach from Semarang added that his ultimate mission is to help his current players make their way into the senior national team. He considers it a personal achievement when his protégés successfully progress to the highest level.

He noted that this goal continues to drive him, and his players remain highly motivated to keep improving.

“I prefer, once again, I prefer to be called successful,” he stated, “only when players from the U-17 or U-20 teams can play for the senior national team.”

Furthermore, Nova believes that qualifying for tournaments such as the World Cup and the Asian Cup at youth levels is part of a long-term developmental process. Players must be properly nurtured to ensure they are ready when the opportunity for promotion arises.

He acknowledged that the journey ahead will not be easy and will require consistent hard work and dedication.

With the current generation’s strong potential, Nova stressed the importance of maximising every opportunity for growth.

“Because qualifying for the World Cup or the Asian Cup, in my view, is merely part of the process,” he concluded. “It’s a stage in the players’ journey to make them better prepared for the senior national team.”