Fifa World Cup 2026: Indonesia name Jordi Cruyff technical adviser in national team revamp
Hiring of ex-Barcelona sporting director, after former Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert was named coach, part of drive to make next World Cup
Indonesia have appointed former Barcelona sporting director Jordi Cruyff as the national team’s technical adviser, the football federation said on Tuesday, in a revamp that has already seen former Netherlands forward Patrick Kluivert named coach.
A passionate football country, Indonesian fans are hoping the expanded 48-team World Cup will give them a chance to make the finals for the second time, when they would hope to do better than in 1938 when they travelled to France as the then-Dutch East Indies in the days before group stages, lost 6-0 to Hungary, and went home.
Indonesia are third in their group after six of 10 matches, one point behind Australia in the battle for the second automatic qualification spot. If they finish third or fourth, they could still reach the 2026 finals through further rounds of qualifying and an intercontinental playoff.
Indonesia’s football federation chief Erick Thohir said Cruyff, who was Barcelona’s sporting director from 2021 to 2023, would come in March.
“I’m very excited,” Cruyff said in a statement on the federation’s website. “I can’t wait to share my experience and knowledge to further the level of Indonesian soccer.”
Erick said Cruyff, the 51-year-old son of Barca great Johan Cruyff, embodied Barcelona’s philosophy of play.