Jakarta. Musician and politician Ahmad Dhani has suggested that Indonesia could naturalize football players by arranging marriages between retired foreign footballers and Indonesian women.

Dhani made the remark during a hearing with Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR) alongside the Youth and Sports Ministry and the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI). The Dewa 19 frontman proposed that world-class footballers aged 40 and above marry Indonesian women to produce talented offspring who could be trained as future national team players.

He further justified his idea by referencing Islamic polygamy, stating that male footballers, particularly Muslims, could have multiple wives, increasing the chances of producing gifted players.

"If they are men, we can look for them. Especially if they are Muslim, they can have up to four wives. So, the chances are greater," Dhani said on Wednesday.

He claimed that children from such marriages would have superior qualities and could be developed from an early age to become top-tier footballers. Dhani described his proposal as an "out-of-the-box" idea that could be rolled out in 2026.

Former Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti responded sharply to the suggestion via her personal X account on Thursday. "What someone says reflects what’s in their mind," she wrote, appearing to criticize Dhani’s unconventional proposal.

Indonesia's World Cup Dream
Indonesia is currently third in Group C of the World Cup qualifying round in Asia, tied on points with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and China but holding a slight advantage on goal difference. Japan leads the group with 16 points, followed by Australia in a distant second with seven points, just one point ahead of the chasing pack. Each team has four matches remaining.

PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir defended the organization’s aggressive approach to naturalizing players, stating that it aligns with Indonesia’s ambition to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Indonesia had 14 naturalized players in its 27-man roster against Japan in November.

"This is why we are moving quickly. We want to make our dream of reaching the World Cup a reality," Erick said during the hearing.

Indonesia still has a strong chance to qualify, provided it secures enough points in its remaining matches. The team is set to face Australia on March 20 (away), Bahrain on March 25 (home), China on June 5 (home), and Japan on June 10 (away).

"Naturalization is not an unrealistic dream. This is something within our grasp, and it’s for the good of our nation," he concluded.

In line with this approach, the parliament has approved the naturalization of three players for the Indonesian national team: Emil Audero, Dean James, and Joey Pelupessy. 

Emil Audero, a 27-year-old goalkeeper for Italian club Palermo, has played for top Serie A teams like Inter Milan, Juventus, and Como. Joey Pelupessy, a 31-year-old defensive midfielder, has experience in European football with clubs like FC Twente, Sheffield Wednesday, and FC Groningen, and now plays for Lommel SK in Belgium. Meanwhile, 24-year-old left-back Dean James, a product of Ajax Amsterdam’s academy, currently plays for Go Ahead Eagles in the Dutch Eredivisie and is seen as a key player for Indonesia’s future.