Revealing the reason why Indonesian prodigy is absent from the national team

Indonesian football prodigy Marselino Ferdinan unexpectedly missed the national team, with the reason disclosed as him still recovering from a hamstring injury.

The Indonesian national team enters a crucial phase of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the 2025 SEA Games without the young talent Marselino Ferdinan. The midfielder, contracted to Oxford United and currently on loan at AS Trencin, is usually a regular in Indonesia’s midfield, but this time coach Patrick Kluivert has decided to exclude him from the call-up list.

Not only absent from the senior national team, Marselino is also missing from the Indonesia U23 squad led by coach Indra Sjafri preparing for the 2025 SEA Games. According to team manager Sumardji, the 2003-born player is still in the process of recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during last month’s match against Lebanon.

“Lino is still undergoing rehabilitation. When I asked about his current condition, he said that kicking the ball hard still causes pain in his hamstring. Therefore, we agreed to let him focus on recovery rather than risk playing,” Sumardji stated at Soekarno-Hatta airport on the afternoon of October 2nd.

Marselino, 22 years old, last appeared for Indonesia during the FIFA Days matches last month. He came off the bench, playing 25 minutes in the 6-0 victory over Taiwan and 30 minutes in the draw against Lebanon. For Indonesia U23, his last appearance was against Guinea in the qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

In his youth career, Marselino played a key role in helping Indonesia U23 win the gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games. In that tournament, he played 5 matches, scored 2 goals, and provided 1 assist, confirming his role as a core player despite his young age.

His absence from both the senior and U23 teams is a significant loss for Indonesia, especially since Marselino is considered one of the brightest talents in Indonesian football. However, the decision to let him rest and fully recover is a necessary step to ensure a stronger comeback in the near future.