On 25/7, Kadek Arel and Indonesia drew 1-1 with Thailand after 120 minutes, then won 7-6 in a penalty shootout to reach their second consecutive Southeast Asian U23 final.

"That's football. It's full of drama," Kadek Arel said after the match at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. "When we were behind, my job was to encourage my teammates. In the end, we also had the luck to win on penalties".

Center-back Kadek Arel thanks the fans after Indonesia drew 1-1 with Thailand after 120 minutes, then won 7-6 in the penalty shootout of the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 semi-final at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Indonesia, on 25/7/2025. Photo: Hai Tu

Indonesian youth football has performed well against Thailand over the past three years. In addition to last night's semi-final, they defeated Thailand 5-2 in the 32nd SEA Games final, then 3-1 in the 2023 Southeast Asian U23 semi-final. Subsequently, Indonesia beat Thailand 1-0 in the 2024 Southeast Asian U19 final.

Arel is one of four current U23 players who were part of the U19 championship team last year. The other three are defender Dony Tri Pamungkas, midfielder Toni Firmansyah, and forward Jens Raven, who currently leads the Southeast Asian U23 top scorer list with 7 goals.

These positive results against a country with a leading youth training system in the region have filled Kadek Arel with confidence. "Thailand may still be the king of Southeast Asian football," Arel said, "but perhaps soon, we will be the future kings of football in the region".

In the Southeast Asian U23 final on 29/7, Indonesia will face defending champions Vietnam. With home advantage, they are eager to avenge their loss to Vietnam in the previous final's penalty shootout.

If they win, Indonesia will rightfully boast of leading Southeast Asian football at multiple levels, from regional and Asian to global. They are the only Southeast Asian team to qualify for the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup, reached the semi-finals of the 2024 U23 Asian Cup, and are preparing for the fourth round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia.

In the FIFA rankings, Indonesia has risen significantly and is currently ranked 118th. Meanwhile, Thailand leads the region at 102nd, while Vietnam is 113th.

Trung Thu