Jakarta. The House of Representatives (DPR) has approved granting Indonesian citizenship to two footballers, Calvin Verdonk and Jens Raven.

"The DPR's Commission X has decided to approve the citizenship recommendation for Calvin Ronald Verdonk and Jens Raven, with the provision that the determination of Indonesian citizenship is made by the authorized institution based on prevailing regulations," said Deputy Chairperson of Commission X, Hetifah Sjaifudian, during a working meeting with the Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo, and Secretary-General of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Yunus Nusi at the parliament complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday.

During the meeting, Minister Dito explained the considerations for granting Indonesian citizenship to Calvin Verdonk and Jens Raven, noting their Indonesian ancestry.

Calvin Verdonk is said to have grown through the prestigious club system in the Netherlands, Feyenoord, having played nearly 200 matches in the Netherlands and Portugal by the age of 26. He is currently playing for NEC Nijmegen.

"He has always been enthusiastic about playing for Indonesia, the country where several members of his family were born and raised," said Dito.

Dito also highlighted Verdonk's abilities as a left-footed player with talent and confidence to play on the left wing.

"Especially using his left foot and with his shooting ability," he added.

Meanwhile, Jens Raven from FC Dordrecht's U21 team, according to Dito, is a tall and strong striker, a type of player Indonesia currently lacks.

"He is a type of striker that the Indonesian national team does not possess at any level. With his physical attributes, standing almost 190 cm tall," he explained.

Dito also mentioned that with his strong physique, Jens is not afraid to duel for the ball. He is optimistic that Jens Raven can become one of the great striker options to represent Indonesia in the AFC U-20 Asian Cup 2025.

"He (Jens) can further develop and be tested to play at a higher level in the Indonesian National Team, such as at the U-23 and senior levels," Dito concluded.

During the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, Coach Shin Tae-yong included nine naturalized players in the squad, including Sandy Walsh, Jay Idzes, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Justin Hubner, Thom Haye, Marc Klok, Ivar Jenner, Rafael Struick, and Ragnar Oratmangoen.

Despite facing criticism for overreliance on naturalized players, Shin Tae-yong reiterated that these players have Indonesian blood and deserve to represent the Red and White.

"They deserve the right to wear the Garuda emblem on their chests," said the 53-year-old South Korean coach at the pre-match press conference for Indonesia versus Vietnam in March.

Shin Tae-yong believes that the collaboration between local and naturalized players will strengthen the Garuda squad, especially with the valuable experience that European-based players bring.

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