The AFC has released a 46-player shortlist on its website, inviting fans to vote for the best 11 players to form a dream team. The team will consist of one goalkeeper, three defenders, four midfielders, and three forwards. The shortlist includes 5 goalkeepers, 13 defenders, 13 midfielders, and 15 forwards.

Indonesian players in red, from left to right: Dean James, Ole Romeny, Beckham Putra, Rizky Ridho, Ivar Jenner, and Rafael Struick after their victory against China at Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia, in the penultimate round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup on the evening of 5/6/2025. Photo: Reuters

Indonesian players in red, from left to right: Dean James, Ole Romeny, Beckham Putra, Rizky Ridho, Ivar Jenner, and Rafael Struick after their victory against China at Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia, in the penultimate round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup on the evening of 5/6/2025. Photo: Reuters

Indonesia and South Korea lead the way with five nominations each. Indonesia's representatives include goalkeeper Maarten Paes, defenders Sandy Walsh and Jay Idzes, midfielder Marselino Ferdinan, and forward Ole Romeny. Of these, only Ferdinan is a native-born Indonesian player.

During the third round of qualifiers, Walsh played in 7 of the 10 matches, starting as a substitute in crucial games against Australia and Bahrain in 3/2025. He was not included in the squad for the final two matches.

Romeny, whose maternal grandmother is Dutch, was born in Indonesia, making him eligible to play for the national team. The 25-year-old forward has played four matches for Indonesia since obtaining citizenship.

South Korea's five representatives are defender Kim Min-jae, midfielders Bae Jun-ho, Lee Jae-sung, and Lee Kang-in, and captain and forward Son Heung-min.

Five teams have four nominations each: Japan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Jordan, and Australia. A total of 15 teams have at least one player nominated. North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, and Bahrain have no players on the shortlist. Saudi Arabia, which finished above Indonesia in Group C, has only one representative.

The third round of Asian qualifiers took place from 5/9/2024 to 10/6/2025, with 18 teams divided into three groups of six. Iran, South Korea, Jordan, Uzbekistan, Japan, and Australia secured direct qualification to the World Cup.

Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE advanced to the fourth qualifying round. These teams will be drawn into two groups on 17/7. They will compete in Qatar and Saudi Arabia from 8/10 to 14/10, vying for two more direct World Cup spots and two places in the fifth qualifying round. The bottom two teams in each group will be eliminated.

The 46 nominees are:

Goalkeepers (5): Utkir Yusupov (Uzbekistan), Jalal Hassan (Iraq), Alireza Beiranvand (Iran), Mathew Ryan (Australia), Maarten Paes (Indonesia).

Defenders (13): Jiang Shenglong (China), Yazan Al Arab (Jordan), Ameed Mahajneh (Palestine), Kim Min-jae (South Korea), Khaled Ibrahim (UAE), Abdukodir Khusanov (Uzbekistan), Lucas Mendes (Qatar), Sandy Walsh, Jay Idzes (Indonesia), Hassan Tambakti (Saudi Arabia), Ko Itakura (Japan), Ahmed Al Khamisi (Oman), Aziz Behich (Australia).

Midfielders (13): Junya Ito, Takefusa Kubo (Japan), Fabio Lima (UAE), Jackson Irvine (Australia), Lee Jae-sung, Lee Kang-in, Bae Jun-ho (South Korea), Ibrahim Bayesh (Iraq), Marselino Ferdinan (Indonesia), Abdul Rahman Al Mushaifri (Oman), Otabek Shukurov (Uzbekistan), Noor Al Rawabdeh (Jordan), Mehdi Mohebi (Iran).

Forwards (15): Yazan Al Naimat, Ali Olwan (Jordan), Almoez Ali, Akram Afif (Qatar), Yousef Nasser (Kuwait), Aymen Hussein (Iraq), Sardar Azmoun, Mehdi Taremi (Iran), Son Heung-min (South Korea), Koki Ogawa (Japan), Abbosbek Fayzullaev (Uzbekistan), Harib Abdalla (UAE), Wessam Abou Ali (Palestine), Ole Romeny (Indonesia), Mitchell Duke (Australia).

Hoang An (via AFC)