Indonesia football coach John Herdman cuts squad as injuries sideline two players ahead of AFF 2026

English coach John Herdman is finalising the Indonesia national football team for the upcoming AFF 2026 championship. After a two‑week training camp at Bali United Training Center involving 50 players, he will select a 23‑man squad. Two key players have been ruled out: naturalised striker Mauro Zijlstra, who suffered a hamstring injury during the first wave of the camp, and winger Yakob Sayuri, who injured himself in the second wave. Both injuries were confirmed by Herdman, who said it was “very regrettable” that they cannot continue. In addition, naturalised midfielder Luke Vickery will miss the tournament due to club pre‑season commitments with Macarthur FC.

A closed intra‑squad match against Bali United was staged as the final trial for remaining hopefuls. Herdman stressed that the match was “the decisive opportunity for players to prove they belong in the Garuda squad.” New naturalised striker Mitchell Baker, who recently took Indonesian citizenship, received high praise from the coach for his mentality and goal‑scoring drive. The squad list is being trimmed from 50 to roughly 23 players, with the final roster to be announced before the tournament begins on 24 July 2026.