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Indonesia national football team head coach John Herdman has provided clarification regarding his decision to retain Muhammad Ferarri in the Garuda squad for the June 2026 FIFA Matchday.

The call-up of the Bhayangkara FC defender had sparked debate among supporters.

Ferarri has endured a difficult season at club level, with limited playing time throughout the 2025/2026 competition.

Over the course of the previous season, Muhammad Ferarri featured in only 14 matches for Bhayangkara FC, accumulating a total of 783 minutes on the pitch.

His situation worsened as he did not feature in any matches from early February to May 2026.

This condition led many to question Herdman’s reasoning for still summoning Ferarri to the national squad, especially when several other players had more consistent minutes at their respective clubs.

John Herdman Stresses It’s Not a Favoured Selection

Responding to the criticism, Herdman asserted that Ferarri’s inclusion resulted from a thorough selection process based on merit, not external influence.

“We are very meticulous in our player selection process,” Herdman said, as quoted by BolaSport.com on Friday (5 June 2026).

“We don’t just look at the last three games or recent months. We evaluate players’ histories, their career trajectories, and how their profiles fit the needs of the team,” he continued.

The English coach explained that the technical staff use a broader evaluation framework than simply assessing recent club performance.

Herdman also believes Ferarri still possesses significant potential to grow and become an important part of Indonesia’s long-term national team project.

He pointed out the positive progress the 23-year-old defender had shown when he was a key player for the national team under former coach Shin Tae-yong.

“When we look at his performances under Shin Tae-yong before his injury, we can see that he was on a strong developmental path,” Herdman added.

That assessment was one of the main reasons why Ferarri remained on the coaching staff’s radar, despite his challenging spell with Bhayangkara FC.

Nevertheless, Herdman made it clear that potential alone is not enough to secure a spot in the national team.

Now, Ferarri has another opportunity to prove his worth with Indonesia’s national side.

If he can justify Herdman’s trust, the Bhayangkara FC defender could silence public doubt and re-establish himself as a reliable option in the Garuda backline.

Next, Indonesia will face Oman and Mozambique in the June 2026 FIFA Matchday fixtures at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK) in Jakarta.

The national team is scheduled to face Oman first on Thursday (5 June 2026), followed by Mozambique on Tuesday (9 May).

These two matches form part of Indonesia’s preparations for upcoming international events such as the 2026 AFF Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup.

Additionally, these friendlies will also play a crucial role in improving Indonesia’s FIFA ranking.

List of 23 Indonesia National Team Players vs Oman and Mozambique

Goalkeepers:

Emil Audero
Maarten Paes
Nadeo Argawinata

Defenders:

Kevin Diks
Yakob Sayuri
Rizky Ridho
Sandy Walsh
Elkan Baggott
Muhammad Ferarri
Justin Hubner
Nathan Tjoe-A-On
Dony Tri Pamungkas
Mathew Baker

Midfielders:

Joey Pelupessy
Rayhan Hannan
Calvin Verdonk
Ivar Jenner

Forwards:

Beckham Putra
Ragnar Oratmangoen
Ole Romeny
Mauro Zijlstra
Marselino Ferdinan
Saddil Ramdani

(Tribunnews.com/Hafidh Rizky Pratama) (BolaSport.com/Mochamad Hary Prasetya)