Chinese referee refuses to shake hands with Indonesian player

Indonesia's captain, Jay Idzes, voiced his displeasure with the officiating following the 0-1 defeat against Iraq, causing "Garuda" to miss out on the 2026 World Cup qualification.

In the match held early Sunday morning (October 12, Vietnam time), Indonesia fought hard but still had to accept a narrow defeat to Iraq. The Chinese referee Ma Ning officiated the game and became the center of controversy after several decisions provoked reactions from Indonesian players.

As captain, Jay Idzes had the right to communicate with the referee on behalf of his teammates and did not hesitate to express his frustration, believing many calls were unfavorable to Indonesia.

Jay Idzes said after the match: “I always try to respect everyone, from the referees and organizers to the opponents. But today, there were some situations that, from my perspective, were incorrect”.

The Venezia defender added: “Of course, ultimately the referee makes the decisions, and we have to accept that. After the match, I wanted to shake their hands, but they refused”.

According to Idzes, the match against Iraq was a do-or-die battle for Indonesia, so tension and emotions were inevitable. He also emphasized that his team always tried to maintain respect despite feeling wronged.

Idzes affirmed: “I always try to show respect. I remind my teammates to keep their distance from the referees, and I only want to communicate calmly”.

He added: “Even though their decisions were not in our favor, we still have to respect them. But clearly, it’s very hard to stay calm in such an important match when a World Cup ticket is at stake”.

The loss to Iraq left Indonesia at the bottom of Group B in the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers, officially ending their dream of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in history. Nevertheless, the fighting spirit of the entire team, especially Jay Idzes, received strong recognition and support from fans.

Despite the bitter outcome, Southeast Asian fans still respected Indonesia’s efforts, particularly the fighting spirit of Jay Idzes, who stood up to defend his national colors on an emotional night in Jeddah.

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