Jakarta. Young Dutch footballer Mauro Zijlstra is set to join Indonesia’s national football team after completing the naturalization process, which is expected to be finalized today.

Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission X, Lalu Hadrian Irfani, said lawmakers are targeting Zijlstra’s naturalization to be completed and ratified in a plenary session on Tuesday. “It will be immediately ratified in the plenary session today,” Lalu said.

The DPR is currently holding a working meeting with Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo to finalize the process.

In addition to Zijlstra, Commission X is also discussing the naturalization of several other athletes: three female footballers, two male footballers, and three ice hockey players.

The move comes as Indonesia’s national football team seeks reinforcements in its attacking line. Goal productivity has been a concern for head coach Patrick Kluivert, especially following the injury of Ole Romeny, which left the squad short of striking options. Zijlstra is projected to fill that gap.

Indonesia will face Saudi Arabia and Iraq in Group B of the fourth round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers. The fourth round matches will take place from October 8 to 14, 2025. The opening matches will be held on October 8, followed by the second matchday on October 11, and the final group matches on October 14. 

Zijlstra’s naturalization request was first submitted in July. Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Chairman Erick Thohir had sent a letter to the Youth and Sports Ministry to propose his naturalization, which was then forwarded to the Law and Human Rights Ministry and subsequently to the State Secretariat.

20-Year-Old Striker with Indonesian Roots

The 20-year-old striker currently plays for Dutch club FC Volendam and is expected to become a key player in Indonesia’s attacking line as the team prepares for future tournaments.

Born on November 9, 2004, in the Netherlands, Zijlstra made his first-team debut on December 19, 2024, in a KNVB Beker match against Rijnsburgse Boys. A month later, he made his league debut against FC Eindhoven. With Volendam, he helped secure the Eerste Divisie title in the 2024/2025 season.

Though born in the Netherlands, Zijlstra is eligible to represent Indonesia through his grandmother, who hails from Bandung. His long-stated desire to play for Indonesia is now being realized through this naturalization process.

Aside from Zijlstra, PSSI has also proposed the naturalization of three female footballers — Isabel Kopp, Isabelle Nottet, and Pauline van de Pol — to strengthen Indonesia’s women’s national team ahead of upcoming international fixtures.

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