Indonesia vs Cambodia (8:30 PM on July 27): Indonesia begins its championship dream

Coach John Herdman's Indonesia is anticipated to win the 2026 ASEAN Cup, and facing Cambodia will mark the English tactician's first appearance in the regional competition.

When John Herdman (51) was appointed as Indonesia's head coach, the English manager carried high expectations. "This is the moment when PSSI (Football Association of Indonesia) and Indonesian football enter a new era, with the national team led by a coach who has taken a team to the World Cup," said PSSI chairman Erick Thohir.

Combining the philosophies of Shin Tae Yong and Patrick Kluivert

The appointment of John Herdman reflects PSSI's ambition. Previously, PSSI took a risk by appointing the modest-profile coach Patrick Kluivert to replace Shin Tae Yong while the archipelago team was competing in the 2026 Asian World Cup qualifiers.

However, the Dutch manager stayed with Indonesia for only nine months before leaving, as the archipelago team failed to secure a ticket to the 2026 World Cup. After the failed World Cup qualification campaign, PSSI immediately embarked on a long-term plan with John Herdman, with their sole aim being the 2030 World Cup.

After his appointment, coach John Herdman stated he would not revolutionize Indonesia's playing style, but instead choose to inherit and build upon the foundations laid by his two predecessors, Shin Tae Yong and Patrick Kluivert.

According to the English strategist, the greatest strength Shin Tae Yong left for Indonesia is a well-organized defensive system, tight structure, and stability without the ball. Herdman affirmed this is a crucial foundation to maintain in the early stages of his tenure.

Assessing the archipelago team under Patrick Kluivert, Herdman believes the former Dutch star helped Indonesia play more openly and offensively, actively deploying the ball with a more adventurous spirit, though that also exposed the defense to more risks. In his view, his task is to elevate those values to a new level.

Herdman emphasized he would combine the positive aspects of both philosophies. Alongside maintaining solid defense, he wants to improve transition and attacking organization so that Indonesia plays more dynamically, directly, and effectively.

About six months after his appointment, coach Herdman led Indonesia in four friendly matches, winning three (against St. Kitts and Nevis, Oman, and Mozambique) and losing only once (to Bulgaria). In those matches, Indonesia scored eight goals, conceded just one, and kept three clean sheets.

Of the eight goals mentioned, five were scored in the first half. Notably, three goals came within the first 15 minutes, and two more between the 16th and 30th minutes.

The ability to apply pressure immediately after the opening whistle is becoming one of Indonesia's standout strengths.

Challenges at the 2026 ASEAN Cup

Coach Herdman has emphasized the goal of helping Indonesia qualify for the World Cup, but for now, the 51-year-old manager needs to guide the archipelago team to their first ASEAN Cup title.

According to Bola newspaper, the two teams in the same group as Indonesia in the 2026 ASEAN Cup, Vietnam and Cambodia, both have experienced coaches in the regional arena and will be formidable opponents for Herdman. Most notably, coach Kim Sang Sik, who led Vietnam to win the 2024 AFF Cup, the 2025 SEA Games gold medal, the 2025 U23 Southeast Asian championship, and guided Vietnam's U23 to third place at the 2026 Asian U23 Championship.

Bola also reported that Indonesia will face teams strengthened by naturalized players, such as Vietnam and Cambodia. Cambodia, Indonesia's upcoming opponent, has four naturalized players: Yudai Ogawa, Alisher Mirzaev, Abdel Kader Coulibaly, and Iago Bento.

According to Bola, Vietnam remains the top title contender for the 2026 ASEAN Cup as the defending champion, maintaining a stable squad under Kim Sang Sik and continuing to have the service of striker Nguyen Xuan Son.

The clash between Indonesia and Vietnam in Group A is predicted to directly affect the race for the top spot in the group as well as the ticket to the semifinals.

However, Herdman's biggest challenge is not just beating Vietnam but also helping Indonesia overcome the shadow of being 'perennial runners-up,' according to Bola.

"Indonesia has been runners-up six times but never lifted the ASEAN Cup trophy. Coach Herdman must help his players transform the mentality of a challenger into the mindset of a champion," Bola asserted.

Coach Shin Tae Yong was unable to lead Indonesia to a Southeast Asian title. The Korean manager's best result at the ASEAN Cup was runner-up (2020). Now, fans of the archipelago are hoping Herdman will do better.

Prediction: 4-0