Mauro Zijlstra Misses Out on U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers Amid Delayed Naturalization
Mauro Zijlstra, a young striker from FC Volendam in the Netherlands, was initially expected to reinforce Indonesia's U-23 national team for the upcoming 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers. However, due to ongoing delays in his naturalization process, he has been officially ruled out of the squad. Despite the plans in place, the legal procedures necessary for him to become an Indonesian citizen were not finalized in time.
The Indonesian U-23 team is preparing to compete as the host of Group J, where they will face South Korea, Laos, and Macau. The team is set to play its first match on September 3, 2025, which means all eligible players needed to be registered by August 24 — ten days before the opening game. Unfortunately, Zijlstra’s citizenship status had not been confirmed by that deadline, making him ineligible to participate.
While Zijlstra will miss the qualifiers, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) remains committed to completing his naturalization. Alongside him, Miliano Jonathans from FC Utrecht is also undergoing the same process. The Indonesian parliament is expected to review both cases in the near future, with hopes that they will be sworn in as citizens by the end of the week.
Although both players are excluded from the qualifiers, there is still a possibility they could appear in upcoming international friendlies. The Indonesian senior team has scheduled matches against Kuwait and Lebanon in Surabaya on September 5 and 8, potentially giving Zijlstra and Jonathans their debut opportunities if the legal formalities are completed on time.
From:News
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