JAKARTA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has recruited three soccer players of Indonesian descent through naturalization to bolster the national team ahead of the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the Asian zone, the association announced in a press release on Thursday.
According to the statement, the Indonesian House of Representatives approved the naturalization applications of Dean Ruben James, Joey Mathijs Pelupessy, and Emil Audero Mulyadi at the parliament building on Thursday.
The next step involves submitting the naturalization documents of the three players to President Prabowo Subianto for the issuance of a presidential decree, a requirement for their oath-taking as Indonesian citizens.
According to Arya Sinulingga, a member of the PSSI executive committee, President Prabowo is scheduled to sign the presidential decree for the three players on Friday.
"We are informed that the presidential decree will be signed by the President tomorrow (March 7), to be immediately then processed in preparation for the swearing-in of Indonesian citizens scheduled no later than March 10," Sinulingga said in the press release.
PSSI chairman Erick Thohir expressed his gratitude to parliament for approving the naturalization process and conveyed his optimism about the enhanced strength of the Indonesian national team following the inclusion of the three players. ■
