Thai football fans show mixed reactions after Indonesia’s defeat

The Thai media and fans responded significantly after Indonesia was defeated 2-3 by Saudi Arabia in the first match of the 2026 World Cup Asian final qualifying round.

Although Indonesia is the sole Southeast Asian representative in this stage, they were unable to surprise the top West Asian opponent. The match was intense with an exciting back-and-forth scoreline. Indonesia took an early lead in the 11th minute through a penalty by Kevin Diks, but Saudi Arabia quickly equalized in the 17th minute and then took the lead with a brace from Firas Al-Buraikan. Despite Kevin Diks narrowing the gap to 2-3 in the 88th minute, it was not enough for Indonesia to avoid defeat.

Thai sports site GOAL summarized briefly: “Saudi Arabia narrowly defeated Indonesia 3-2 to claim their first 3 points in the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers.” The post quickly attracted significant attention from Thai fans, gathering hundreds of comments within hours.

Many Thai supporters sympathized with Indonesia but also candidly pointed out flaws in the playing style of coach Patrick Kluivert’s team. User Som Mart wrote: “Honestly, Indonesia lacked a clear system. Many situations were handled in a confused and incoherent manner. They could have performed better.”

Another fan, Jirayu Pichaiphan, commented sarcastically: “Don’t mock them too much; look at our own team—we still haven’t found a stable lineup. We worry if we can even beat Taiwan. At least Indonesia dares to invest and has strong football leadership.”

User Khaichat made a comparison: “Korean coach Shin Tae Yong of Indonesia at least maintains a football identity, showing more style than Thailand’s current team under Patrick Kluivert.”

Reactions from Thai media and fans indicate that Indonesia is receiving special attention in the region as the only Southeast Asian hope in the final World Cup qualifiers. Despite starting with a loss, Indonesia’s resilient performance against Saudi Arabia earned much respect.

In the next match, Indonesia will face a crucial game against Iraq, seen as an opportunity for Patrick Kluivert’s squad to keep their hopes alive for qualification to the 2026 World Cup in North America.