Herdman cuts 14 players, finalizes Indonesia's 23-man squad for FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026

John Herdman has finalized Indonesia's 23-man squad for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, cutting 14 players who were called up for Piala AFF 2026. The decision was announced on Friday (18/9/2026) and immediately sparked debate across Indonesian football. Most of the players dropped are understood to be those who have struggled for regular club minutes early this season. Shortly after the squad was confirmed, PSSI chairman Erick Thohir sent a message on social media, reminding the players of the responsibility of wearing the national team shirt and urging them to play bravely and give their best for Indonesia. The most interesting names in the 23-man list are two debutants: Luke Vickery and Dion Markx. Both are naturalized players and will represent Indonesia at senior level for the first time. Markx became an Indonesian citizen on 8/2/2026, while Vickery completed his naturalization on 16/7/2026. Meanwhile, midfielder Laurin Ulrich, who has Indonesian roots from Surabaya, received his first call-up to Germany U-21 for matches against Latvia, Malta, and Georgia in the UEFA U-21 Euro 2027 qualifiers. This makes it almost impossible for him to feature for Indonesia at the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026. However, analysts believe Indonesia still has at least three European grade A players of similar or higher quality who could be naturalized in the near future. At club level, Persib Bandung are reportedly close to signing two new goalkeepers: Ivan Susak and Matej Markovic. The club is looking to strengthen their squad ahead of the 2026/2027 season. Adding two goalkeepers at once reflects the modern trend of building squad depth and raising competition for the number one spot. The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 will be a major test of Herdman's approach. If debutants like Vickery and Markx perform well, the coach will have more justification for his youth-driven rebuild. If the team struggles, pressure will mount on both the coach and PSSI over the decision to cut 14 players from the previous AFF campaign.