Soccer in Indonesia
Although Badminton is the favourite sport in Indonesia, the interest in soccer is growing slowly.
Every region has got an own soccer club, also the indonesian soccer association is already existing since 1930.
The history of the indonesian soccer association
The indonesian soccer association was founded in April, 19th 1930, by a construction engineer, named Soeratin Sosrosoegondo. Soeratin Sosrosoegondo was returning to indonesia after he finished his studies in germany.
First, he worked shortly for a dutch company, but he canceled his job and was supporting the movement of independence, instead.
The founding of the Indonesian soccer association belonged to this support. By founding an own Indonesian soccer association he tried to repel the influence of the dutch-dominated soccer association, named NIVB (Nederlands Indische Voetbal Bond).
He organized several meetings with pro-soccer players and representatives of the regional soccer organisations to unite them in a new Indonesian association, wich should be independent from the colonial power, presented by the NIVB.
On April, the 30th 1930 the last meeting was hold in Jakarta. Nearly all regional soccer organizations were present.
Among other, the Bandoengsche Voetbal Bond“ (Bandung, West Java), the „Persatuan Sepakbola Mataram“ (Yogyakarta, Central Java), the „Madioensche Voetbal Bond“ (Madiun, Ost Java), the „Indonesische Voetbal Bond Magelang“ (Magelang, Central Java), the „Soerabajashe Indonesische Voetbal Bond“ (Surabaya, Ost Java) and the „Vortenlandsche Voetbal Bond“(Solo, Central Java).
All this regional associations were united I the PSSI (Persatoean Sepak Bola Seloeroeh Indonesia) on that day. Soeratin Sosrosoegondo became the director of the PSSI.
Logo of indonesian football assciation PSSI
The influence and importance of PSSI was growing fast. A while the PSSI worked hand in hand with the NIVB, wich changed their name to NIVU (Nederlandsh Indische Voetbal Unie), but just until 1939.
In 1938 the NIVU (former NIVB) was sending a soccer team to the soccer world cup, the players were mainly organized in the PSSI. But, because the team entered the World cup beneath the dutch banner, wich caused massive protest from representatives of the PSSI and ended with the breakup between NIVU und PSSI.
During the Japanese occupation, the PSSI wasn´t active, because japan tried to integrate all soccer clubs in the japanese sport association.
After ending of the occupation the PSSI revived. In 1954 PSSI became member of FIFA and in 1954 member of the AFV (asian football confederation).
Painting on a indonesian stadium wall
The indonesian soccer-league
- „Divis Utama“ oder „Djarum Indonesia“(Djarum ist mostly supported and financed by the tobacco producer „Djarum“). It is mostly compareble with the major league or premier league.
- „Divisi I“ – compareable to the second league or the English football league
- Divis II – Amateur League
- Liga Yunior – Youth League, consisting of U-15 (player at the age of 15+), U-18 (players at the age of 18+) and U-23 (players at the age of 23+).
- Liga Wanita – Womens soccer league
The indonesian national soccer team
First international match:
The first match was in 1934 on the Philippines. Indonesia lost 2:0 against china.
First appearence at the World Cup:
The first and appearance, as the first asian team at a world cup was in 1938. In this time the team was still dominated by the NIVU (Nederlandsh Indische Voetbal Unie), wich was mainly controlled by the dutch colonial power.
Also they entered the world cup beneath the dutch banner. Because many players already were organized in the PSSI this circumstate lead to drastic protests in indonesia.
As a consequence of ths incident the the cooperation between NIVU and PSSI ended in 1939. Since 1938 could not qualify again for entering the world cup.
Biggest succes:
On December the 23th indonesia won 13:0 against the philippines in jakarta, indonesia.
Biggest failure:
On September, the 3rd against denmark. Indonesia lose 0:9 in copenhagen.
The actual (2007) Fifa ranking of Indonesia is place 149. Since 1996 indonesia was qualified for the asian cup three times. But failed always in the preliminary round.
Odds in Indonesian soccer
Beside the possibility to buy tickets for soccer matches on the black market, you may have the alternative to rent a ladder and climb onto the stadium wall.
Next to the stadium, it is possible to buy fan-articles (normally just illegal copies), also food and drinks.
You can also carry food and drinks into the stadium, which sometimes (at bad games) leads to a rubbished field.
When big away-games ahead ist often possible for fans to travel by train for free. Also they don’t have to provide much money to get food or drinks.
Often fans of the own team, who work or live in the area of the opposite team support their fellow fans proudly with food and drink for free or at least very cheap.
Also because of overfilled trains, sometimes it came to accidents, because people, who were sitting on top of the train fell of or were hurt by an electric shock.
Fans, who don´t like to go to the stadium and watch the match on TV, may often run furiously out of their house, because high frequency of power blackouts in Indonesia.
Autor:
Marc & Vania Koeberlein
