Farewell to the 2026 World Cup, Indonesian stars burst into tears

12/10/2025 10:23:00 TrophyTracker

The tears of Thom Haye and his teammates say it all — Indonesia’s national team has ended their 2026 World Cup qualifying journey, overwhelmed with heartbreak after a 0-1 loss to Iraq.

In the early hours of October 12, at King Abdullah Sports City, Indonesia faced a crucial match against Iraq in the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers. They needed a win to keep their hopes alive, but Zidane Iqbal’s lone goal in the 76th minute extinguished all efforts by coach Patrick Kluivert’s squad.shattered all the efforts of coach Patrick Kluivert’s team. When referee Ma Ning blew the final whistle, the stadium fell silent — on the pitch, Indonesian players collapsed, overwhelmed by emotion.

The image of midfielder Thom Haye — who played the full 90 minutes — breaking down in tears immediately after the final whistle moved millions of fans deeply. Cameras captured him falling to his knees, tears streaming uncontrollably. Captain Jay Idzes quickly ran over to embrace and comfort Haye.

Indonesian star collapsed on the field as the final whistle sounded

Thom Haye sobbed uncontrollably in the arms of his teammates

Even more touching, Iraqi players, including Ali Jasim, approached gently to pat and console their opponents. “He gave his all. Those tears are a testament to Indonesia’s pride,” a sports reporter commented live on television.

Thom Haye — a Dutch-born midfielder — understood this might be his last chance in his career to dream of the World Cup with Indonesia. At 30 years old, he devoted everything to the national team, and this defeat dealt a heavy psychological blow. “We gave everything we had, but sometimes football can be cruel. I just want to see Indonesia go further,” Haye briefly shared after the match, tears in his eyes.

Indonesia officially eliminated from the 2026 World Cup

Not only Haye, but disappointment spread throughout the Indonesian squad. Miliano Jonathans — a 20-year-old talent playing for FC Utrecht — hung his head, wiping away tears with his shirt. Forward Ole Romeny sat silently on the grass, while defender Kevin Diks bowed his head speechlessly. Even coach Patrick Kluivert couldn’t hide his emotions, covering his face with a towel as the whistle blew, then quietly leaving the field amid empathetic applause from the stands.

Two consecutive losses to Saudi Arabia (2-3) and Iraq (0-1) left Indonesia at the bottom of Group B, officially ending their campaign. Meanwhile, the direct World Cup spot will be contested between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

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