REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Chairman of the Indonesian Football Association  (PSSI), Erick Thohir, presented the latest developments related to the naturalization process of FC Utrecht midfielder Miliano Jonathans. Erick made sure that the acceleration was continued so that the midfielder immediately defended the Indonesian national team.

“Thanks to Mr Menpora, we have met him and he promised that the process will be out next week. Later usually from Menpora to Minister of Law, Minister of Law later to Mr President through Mensesneg, only to DPR,” Erick said in Jakarta, Monday (18/8/2025).

Erick added that PSSI targeting Jonathans could strengthen Garuda's squad on the test agenda against Kuwait and Lebanon on Sept. It is part of the preparation of the national team in round four of the 2026 Asian Zone World Cup Qualifiers against Iraq and Saudi Arabia in October.

“So we are also pursuing how Miliano Jonathans can strengthen the national team this September in the test section. This is what we are again desperately trying to accelerate,” he said.

In addition to Jonathans, PSSI is also taking care of Mauro Zijlstra's naturalization process. Erick revealed that Zijlstra is projected to appear in the AFC U-23 qualifiers before a chance to move up to the senior team.

“Yesterday from the information I got, Mauro will be tried for a trial in the AFC U-23 qualifiers. If he performs well, he could have been given a chance for the senior team in October,” Erick said.

Erick explained that naturalization is part of an effort to build the long-term structure of the Indonesian national team. He mentioned that the Simon Tahamata-led scouting team was selecting young talent in different age groups.

“Even Om Simon's scouting team started reviewing talent from the bottom up. Yesterday Simon was in Bali to see the U-17 preparations. Later they will also prepare these talents with one big structure that we are working on in the national team stratum, in terms of coaching,” said Erick.

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