Organizer Hopes National Team to Join Next International Youth Championship

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The organizer of the international junior soccer tournament, International Youth Championship (IYC), hopes that the Indonesian national team could join the next IYC in 2022 or 2023.

“We really hope that PSSI will be able to send the national team to compete in IYC,” said IYC director of competition, Tigorshalom Boboy, in a press conference at the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), Friday, April 15.

According to Tigorshalom, IYC will definitely communicate with the IYC if they are to hold competitions.

In 2019, he went on, when IYC was held in Bali and three European teams joined the event, namely Real Madrid U18, Inter Milan U19, and Arsenal U18, the organizer had contacted PSSI but the Indonesian team could not join the competition due to broadcast rights issue.

In IYC 2021, PSSI was also contacted by the organizer but the national team of U19 was in South Korea to undergo a training camp (TC) for U20 World Cup 2023.

“Nevertheless, we're thankful for PSSI's support in the form of assignment of match equipment,” said Tigorshalom.

Meanwhile, the IYC organizer chief, who is also the Chairman of Pancoran Soccer Field (PSF) I Gede Widiade said that IYC could be utilized by PSSI to measure the readiness of the national team as IYC is participated by young teams from well-known European clubs.

In 2019, Inter Milan, Arsenal, and Real Madrid joined the event, while in 2021, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid participated.

"So, as a benchmark for the national team to participate in certain tournaments, I think IYC is very good and positive," said Gede.

Antara