TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The U-23 Indonesian national team will not play any friendly matches ahead of the 2025 ASEAN U-23 Championship (AFF U-23 Cup), according to head coach Gerald Vanenburg.
The Dutch coach cited concerns over potential player injuries as the main reason for this decision.
Instead of external friendlies, Vanenburg prefers internal trial matches to test strategies and evaluate his squad.
"Honestly, I think it's good. Honestly, I don't think we need it (friendly matches), and I think the players are in good condition," he told reporters.
Vanenburg made the statement ahead of a training session at the Madya Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
He also expressed satisfaction with the players’ fitness during preparations.
"They can play 11 against 11 within our own squad. So, we can avoid injury problems," he added.
During the evening training, the Young Garuda squad consisted of 25 players — four goalkeepers and 21 outfield players.
This number was reduced from the original 28, after three players were cut: Ahmad Wadil (Malut United), Frengky Missa (Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC), and Rahmat Syawal (PSIS Semarang).
Regarding the final squad announcement, Vanenburg revealed that he already had names in mind,
but he has yet to make them public as he wants to continue assessing the remaining players.
"We have to see the final squad. Because, of course, I have something in mind. But the most important thing is that we don’t get too many injured players. So we have to take care of that. If everyone is fit, I already know. But I won’t say it," he explained.
For the 2025 ASEAN U-23 Championship, Indonesia has been placed in Group A alongside Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei Darussalam.
The national team will kick off the tournament against Brunei on Tuesday, July 15. They will then face the Philippines on Friday, July 18, followed by Malaysia on Monday, July 21.
All of Indonesia's group-stage matches will take place at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK) in Jakarta, with kickoff scheduled for 08:00 PM WIB (Western Indonesia Time).
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