Persija held Shin's unveiling ceremony at the Jakarta International Stadium this afternoon, 8/6. The 57-year-old South Korean tactician and the Indonesian club signed a two-year contract, with an option for a one-year extension.

Coach Shin Tae-yong signed his contract as head coach of Persija Jakarta club on the afternoon of 8/6. *Photo: Persija*

Shin is a renowned coach in South Korean football, having led Seongnam FC to win the AFC Champions League in 2010 and the Korean FA Cup in 2011. He later worked with various South Korean national teams, guiding the Olympic team to the quarterfinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics and the U20 team past the group stage of the 2017 U20 World Cup. At the 2018 World Cup, coach Shin led South Korea to an impressive 2-0 victory over Germany.

In late 2019, Shin took on the role of head coach for the Indonesian national team, quickly transforming the archipelago nation's football landscape. Under his leadership, Indonesia achieved significant milestones: finishing second in the 2020 AFF Cup (now ASEAN Cup), advancing past the group stage of the 2023 Asian Cup, winning a bronze medal at the 2021 SEA Games, securing the runner-up position in the 2023 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, and reaching the semifinals of the 2024 U23 Asian Cup.

Coach Shin also gained significant recognition for guiding the Indonesian national team to the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia. However, the team's poor start in this stage led to his dismissal by the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) on 6/1/2025. Dutch coach Patrick Kluivert was then invited to take over the team, but he was ultimately unable to help Indonesia realize its dream of qualifying for the World Cup finals.

Persija currently competes in the Indonesian National League, having been founded in 1928. Despite being the oldest and most traditional club in the league with 11 championships, the Jakarta-based team has not won the title since 2018.

Before appointing Shin, Persija terminated the contract of Brazilian coach Mauricio Souza because he failed to lead the team to a national championship. Mohamad Prapanca, the club director, expressed his optimism during the unveiling ceremony: "We hope this will be a turning point for a bright future for Persija."

Duc Dong