Southeast Asia Indonesia

Top 5 Naturalized Indonesian Players

By: , October 18, 2018 6:14 pm
Stefano Lilipaly

By Aditya Jaya Iswara, Football Tribe Indonesia

 

After spending a number of years struggling on the international scene, Indonesia’s national team took a trick out of Singapore’s book. Some star players in domestic league were naturalized, as were the players who has Indonesian blood from their ancestors, in an effort to expand the pool of top level talent available for selection in the Indonesia squad. 

Here are the top 5 naturalized players in Indonesian National Team:

Cristian Gonzales

Chosen as the main striker during AFF Cup 2010, the Uruguayan striker was the pioneer of naturalized players in the Indonesian National Team. He played very well in that tournament, and his crucial goals brought Indonesia to the final. Gonzales is also an evergreen player, as despite being 42 years old now, he is leading second-division side PSS Sleman in their hunt for a Liga 1 promotion slot

Stefano Lilipaly

After making his international debut at 2013, Stefano Lilipaly's presence has grown more important through the years. Despite being born and bred in the Netherlans, his eligibility for the national team stems from his Indonesian heritage from his father. He was the key player at the 2018 Asian Games, scoring four goals goals and four assists from just five games. One interesting fact, Stefano is the younger brother of Tonnie Cussell Lilipaly, another naturalized midfielder who failed to impress during his short career with the national team.

Alberto “Beto” Goncalves

The newest naturalized player alongside Esteban Vizcarra, Beto started his career with the Indonesian National Team at the 2018 Asian Games. He scored 4 goals there, and in the last two friendly matches he scored two goals and registered as many assists. Beto is also highly likely chosen as the main striker at AFF Cup later this year.

Ilija Spasojevic

The Montenegrin-born, known commonly as "Spaso," was the main striker of Indonesia national team before Beto's arrival. He is a 'fox-in-the-box' striker who has good positioning and finishing. Last season he won Liga 1 with Bhayangkara FC, playing a crucial role after joining the club in mid-season, and this year joins the title race again with Bali United.

Diego Michiels

Diego became the first naturalized player to play in Indonesia U-23 squad when he starred as a left-back in the 2011 SEA Games, when Indonesia lost against Malaysia in the final. Since then, Diego has gotten busy with his television appearances and publicity agenda as hen began dating a young Indonesian actress, leading to a decline in his performances. However, this season he is back to his best form, leading Borneo FC into the top seven as the team captain.