Kluivert sacked by Indonesia after just nine months in charge

• Last Update: October 16, 2025 11:55:24 am BST • 3 min read

Patrick Kluivert’s time in charge of Indonesia has come to an abrupt end after the nation’s hopes of reaching the World Cup were shattered.

The 49-year-old Dutch legend, who previously starred for Ajax, Barcelona and the Netherlands, was appointed in January on a two-year deal.

His mission was to guide Indonesia to their first-ever World Cup since achieving independence from the Netherlands in 1945.

Kluivert succeeded in steering the team into the fourth round of Asian qualifying for the first time in their history. However, back-to-back defeats to Saudi Arabia and Iraq brought that dream to a halt.

A narrow 1-0 defeat to Iraq in Jeddah on Saturday officially ended their qualification campaign – a result described by local media as “devastating.”

The match descended into chaos after the final whistle, with two Indonesian players receiving red cards amid heated exchanges on the pitch.

In the aftermath, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) confirmed Kluivert’s departure along with his coaching staff.

A statement read: “The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) and the coaching team of the Indonesia national team have officially agreed for early termination of cooperation through mutual termination.

“This step was taken as part of a comprehensive evaluation of the national football coaching and development programme.

“After an open, full and respectful discussion, both parties agreed to end this partnership.”

Kluivert had replaced South Korean manager Shin Tae-yong, whose dismissal was controversial given his role in improving the national side and maintaining their World Cup qualification hopes.

Despite his high-profile appointment and the assistance of technical advisor Jordi Cruyff, Kluivert managed just three wins from eight matches in charge, suffering four defeats and one draw.

Among those losses were a 5-1 thrashing by Australia in his first game and a 6-0 drubbing in Japan.

Before taking the Indonesia job, Kluivert’s only previous head coaching roles came with Curacao (2015–16), where he won half of his 12 matches, and a short-lived spell at Turkish side Adana Demirspor.

As a player, Kluivert’s career was filled with silverware. He won the Champions League and two Eredivisie titles with Ajax before going on to represent AC Milan, Barcelona, Newcastle, Valencia, PSV and Lille – lifting both LaLiga and another Eredivisie crown along the way.

Since hanging up his boots in 2008, his most notable coaching achievement came as Louis van Gaal’s assistant when the Netherlands finished third at the 2014 World Cup.