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Gerald Vanenburg Confident In Indonesia's Prospects at ASEAN U-23 Mandiri Cup™ 2025

02 Jul 2025

Indonesia U-23 head coach Gerald Vanenburg is confident his team will perform well in front of the home fans at the ASEAN U-23 Mandiri Cup™ 2025 when the tournament kicks off on 15 July despite only meeting his squad in person for the first time last month.

Although he took charge of the team in January, the Dutchman did not have an opportunity to work with his players until they assembled in Jakarta in late June to begin their training camp for the Mandiri Cup™ 2025, a showcase for ASEAN’s rising stars which takes place in Indonesia from 15 to 29 July.

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However, Vanenburg managed to assess his young charges when they were in action for their clubs over the past six months and believes they have the calibre to be successful in the regional U-23 tournament, which Indonesia won in 2019.

“I have been employed as Indonesia U-23 coach since January, but we have not been together until now, so I have finally met the selected players,” said the 61-year-old, who played as a winger for the Netherlands when they won the Euro 1988 tournament.

“However, while we have not been together for long, I have looked at many players, and I felt that these players have a lot of talent and we believe that we can make a great team.”

Much will be expected at the Mandiri Cup™ 2025 of the Garuda Muda side, which features players who were in the team that reached the AFC U-23 Asian Cup semi-finals last year, including captain Muhammad Ferrari and key midfielder Arkhan Fikri.

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Reputation means little to Vanenburg, who insisted that his team selection for the tournament will be based on how his players perform in training and on the pitch.

“Regardless of the opponent, we must look at ourselves and try to improve every day as a team and as individuals,” he said.

“We play for Indonesia and for the people. For us, every tournament and every match is important and performing well in training, and playing well and winning matches contribute to the confidence of the team.

“Every match is a chance to show the people how good we are, and every player must be proud to play in the shirt of Indonesia.”

Although his team are favourites to win the tournament for a second time, Vanenburg has warned against complacency.

“In terms of our opponents at the tournament, there a few countries that are good. However, every match is different, and we will have to be alert and perform well against every opponent,” he said.

“But we have every confidence that we have a good team, and we can achieve good performances during the tournament.”

Indonesia will open their Mandiri Cup™ 2025 campaign against Brunei on 15 July at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, before facing the Philippines on 18 July and Malaysia on 21 July at the same venue for their remaining Group A games.

The first-placed team in each of the three groups and the second-placed team with the best record at the end of the group stage will progress to the semi-finals, which will be played on 25 July. The winners of the semi-finals will meet in the final at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on 29 July.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of PSSI