The former Netherlands and Barcelona striker, Patrick Kluivert, will now coach Indonesia’s national team.
The 48-year-old will qualify his new team for the 2026 World Cup, taking over from South Korean coach Shin Tae-yong.
Kluivert, a Champions League winner with Ajax and Premier League player with Newcastle, has signed a two-year contract with an extension option.
This Southeast Asian nation’s only previous tournament appearance was in 1938 when they competed as the Dutch East Indies.
The Dutchman’s initial task is a March qualifying match against Australia; two of the six teams in their group automatically qualify for the World Cup, and two more advance to another round.
Despite being 127th in the Fifa rankings, Indonesia is third in the group after six out of ten matches.
Kluivert’s last managerial role was a five-month stint with Turkish club Adana Demirspor in 2023.
Having managed Curaçao twice, he also served as Louis van Gaal’s assistant in the Netherlands and Clarence Seedorf’s assistant in Cameroon.