John Herdman has been appointed as the new head coach of the Indonesian men's national football team, following the team's failure to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 50-year-old Englishman takes over from Patrick Kluivert, who departed from the position in October.

The Indonesian football federation announced the hiring on Saturday, emphasizing Herdman's proven ability to elevate teams to the global stage. "Herdman is not just a coach, but a football architect with a strong track record of taking teams to the World Cup," the federation stated.

Herdman previously guided Canada to the 2022 World Cup, marking the nation's first appearance in the tournament since 1986, where they finished with zero points after losses to Belgium (1-0), Croatia (4-1), and Morocco (2-1). Prior to his success with the men's team, Herdman also coached the Canadian women's national team, leading them to the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, where they lost 2-1 to England in the quarter-finals.

Indonesia has struggled to make an impact on the international stage. The nation last participated in the World Cup in 1938, when it competed as Dutch East Indies. The team was eliminated in the first round after a 6-0 defeat to Hungary. The hope is that Herdman's experience can help Indonesia improve its performance and potentially qualify for future World Cups.