Surabaya. Indra Sjafri maintained a humble demeanor despite becoming the most successful coach of the national football team after adding another regional trophy to his collection.

He led the U-19 national team to victory in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) tournament on Monday, winning every single match in the process.

Indra now boasts four regional trophies, including three from AFF tournaments and the first football gold medal at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in 32 years.

He is now setting his sights on a bigger prize as the Garuda squad prepares to compete in the U20 Asia Cup.

"As a dedicated Indonesian citizen, I have a job in football, so wherever the PSSI assigns me, I cannot turn it down," Indra said on Tuesday, referring to the Indonesian Football Association.

"Let’s build on this momentum together. Winning the AFF tournament is a great start and a confidence booster to help us qualify for the Asian Cup."

The PSSI has naturalized enough players to form a full team, and one of them, Jens Raven, was included in the U19 squad. He scored the sole goal in Monday’s AFF final match against Thailand in Surabaya.

Indra, a native of West Sumatra, emphasized that his approach focuses on the individual skills of each player and their ability to work as a team, regardless of their family background.

"I treat them equally. Once you earn an Indonesian passport, you’re part of the team," he said, adding that taking a different approach “wouldn’t benefit either local or naturalized players.”

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