"The world can see that our football has awakened from its slumber, and it was proven by a world champion team willing to come to Indonesia," Thohir stated at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium here, Monday (June 19) evening.
He said the football match against the world champion is held to prepare the national football team mentally to face future matches.
"This is to test our guts and our mental (fortitude), to make our national team always ready, particularly as this year we will face the 2026 World Cup qualification match," the PSSI chief stressed.
The match with the Argentine national football team can also evoke feelings of nationalism among residents united to support the Indonesian team, he added.
"It has been proven. There were (supporters) from Madura, Singkawang, Sumatra, and Surakarta. We are united, regardless of our ethnic group or religion, under the Red and White flag. Our nationalism is consolidated by the Red and White flag," Thohir emphasized.
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The PSSI chief was also thankful for the enthusiasm shown by residents for the match between Indonesia and Argentina and hoped that Indonesia's sports industry would awaken.
"I think there was outstanding enthusiasm, and we expect that apart from our sports industry that will awaken, our sports achievements will also improve," he remarked.
During the Monday match at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Indonesia lost to Argentina 0-2 by Leandro Paredes' long kick and Cristian Romero's header.
Meanwhile, at the FIFA Match Day with the Palestinian national football team on Wednesday (June 14) in Surabaya's Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium, the score was 0-0.
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Translator: Indra Arief P, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
