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Ole Romeny celebrated after scoring a goal during the FIFA Matchday fixture between the Indonesia national team and the Oman national team at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday (5 June 2026).

SUPERBALL.ID – The Dutch public reacted cynically to Indonesia’s emphatic victory over Oman in the FIFA Matchday, highlighting the influence of naturalised players from the Netherlands.

The Indonesia national team successfully wrapped up their first FIFA Matchday fixture of June 2026 with a convincing win against Oman.

Playing at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK) in Senayan, Jakarta, John Herdman’s Garuda squad dominated the visitors with a 3-0 scoreline.

Indonesia’s three goals in the match were scored by three overseas-born players — Justin Hubner, Ole Romeny, and Ragnar Oratmangoen.

This marked Herdman’s second victory with the Indonesia national team from three matches in charge, utilising a line-up with a noticeably different composition.

In the clash against Oman, Herdman did not field an entirely foreign-born or naturalised side, opting instead for a balanced mix of local and heritage players.

Among those included were Rizky Ridho, Beckham Putra, Dony Tri Pamungkas, and Yakob Sayuri, although the spotlight remained fixed on the naturalised contingent.

Particularly, players of Dutch descent drew attention, with media outlets in the Netherlands offering sarcastic commentary on Indonesia’s win over Oman.

One Dutch outlet remarked that such a convincing victory would have been impossible without the significant contributions of players with Dutch roots.

The Dutch football media outlet, Voetbal Primeur, underlined the tangible impact of players of Dutch descent on a nation that failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

“Indonesia cruised to an easy win in a friendly match against Oman thanks to significant contributions from the Netherlands,” wrote Voetbal Primeur.

“With goals heavily involving Dutch players, the final score was 3-0 for the team that will not be heading to the World Cup,” the outlet added.

Although Dutch-born players have become key figures in the Garuda squad, they do not completely dictate the team’s style of play.

The Indonesia national team now reflects a hybrid of local talent and foreign heritage, where Herdman’s tactical acumen has been vital in building a cohesive and competitive unit.

Naturalised players are expected to continue playing a central role in Indonesia’s football journey, not only toward the 2027 Asian Cup but also the 2030 World Cup campaign.

Herdman plans to further enhance the national team’s strength through domestic youth development programmes and by engaging more diaspora players abroad.

The national team will also be used by Herdman as a platform for players aspiring to establish careers in top global leagues.

“We’re continuously improving every department within our team structure to equip them with the right skills, tools, knowledge, and experience,” said John Herdman.

“Our second objective is to recruit more level-one and level-two players.”

“Level one refers to those competing in the top five leagues globally, while level two includes players outside those competitions.”

“This can be achieved either by accelerating the development of Indonesian players domestically and using the national team as a springboard to top leagues,” he continued.

“Or by recruiting diaspora players who are eligible to represent our nation,” concluded John Herdman.