Indonesian Captain Jay Idzes to Skip FIFA ASEAN Cup over Injury - Tempo.co English
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian national team captain and center-back Jay Idzes has announced he will be absent from the Garuda squad for the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup due to injury.
"It hurts me to be absent for such a long time, especially because I was really looking forward to being back with [the national team]. Not being able to be there with the team and all of you is difficult," said Idzes, as quoted from his official Instagram account @jayidzes, Friday.
Idzes suffered the injury while defending his club, Sassuolo, against Juventus in the 2026/2027 Serie A match on Monday, September 14. Sassuolo won the match 3-2.
Idzes played for 80 minutes before being substituted by Dujie Calte-Car due to an injury to his left thigh. The 26-year-old's recovery is estimated to take six to eight weeks.
Idzes last played for the Indonesian national team at the end of March 2026. After that, he was consistently absent, including when the Garuda squad faced Oman and Mozambique in FIFA friendlies in mid-June 2026.
According to Idzes, he is currently focused on managing his injury so he can return to the field.
"Right now, my focus has to be on recovering fully and doing everything I can to come back strong and ready," said Idzes.
The 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup will take place from September 24 to October 5 in Jakarta (Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium) and Bandung (Si Jalak Harupat Stadium).
Indonesia is in Division 1, competing in Jakarta alongside Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Singapore. In Group B, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, and the Philippines will compete in Bandung.
John Herdman's squad will begin its tournament against Singapore (September 25), followed by Malaysia (September 28), and Bangladesh (October 1).
Meanwhile, the Division 2 matches will be played in Hong Kong, with a total of six participants divided into two groups. Group A features Hong Kong, Laos, and Brunei Darussalam, while Group B features Cambodia, Myanmar, and Timor Leste.
