The Indonesian national football team is working to bolster its squad by targeting two promising players, Kevin Diks and Ole Romeny. Kevin Diks, a versatile player from FC Copenhagen, and Ole Romeny, a talented young player from FC Utrecht, are expected to strengthen the Garuda squad as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Kevin Diks, a defender capable of playing in various positions including right-back, center-back, and left-back, is on PSSI’s radar for naturalization. Erick Thohir, the Chairman of PSSI, is working on the naturalization process for Kevin Diks so he can join the Indonesian national team. This move comes after Indonesia’s head coach, Shin Tae-yong, decided not to call up Elkan Baggott, who was previously a key player in the defense.

Kevin Diks has had a long career in Europe. He began his professional journey at Vitesse Arnhem, a club that helped raise his profile. In 2016, he joined Fiorentina in Serie A, although he never made an appearance for them and was subsequently loaned back to Vitesse and Feyenoord. Since 2021, Kevin has been a crucial player for FC Copenhagen. In the 2023/2024 season, he impressively played in 51 matches, totaling 4,398 minutes.
At FC Copenhagen, Kevin Diks has won two Superliga Denmark titles and one Danish Cup. Additionally, he has appeared in the Champions League, registering 14 appearances in the prestigious tournament.
Ole Romeny, currently playing for FC Utrecht, is another name frequently mentioned in naturalization talks to strengthen the Indonesian national team. Senior football analyst Ronny Pangemanan, known as Bung Ropan, revealed that PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir is indeed working on the naturalization of a striker, and Romeny is believed to be the candidate.

Romeny, who stands at 185 cm, is a central forward with significant potential. The 23-year-old has scored 12 goals in 77 matches for NEC Nijmegen and one goal in 18 appearances for FC Utrecht last season. Romeny has even stated that he is learning Indonesian, showing his seriousness about joining the national team.
The forward line has been a major focus area. Shin Tae-yong has so far relied on Rafael Struick, who has yet to score for the national team since his debut in June 2023. According to Bung Ropan, while local players like Malik Risaldi or Dimas Drajad have shown promise in Liga 1, a high-quality striker like Romeny is crucial for strengthening Indonesia’s attacking force.
The naturalization processes for Kevin Diks and Ole Romeny are still ongoing, and there is no certainty yet on when they will officially join the Indonesian national team. However, this effort highlights how serious PSSI and Shin Tae-yong are about reinforcing the squad to face the challenges of the World Cup qualifiers. Shin Tae-yong emphasizes the need for players who are truly committed to playing at the highest level to achieve the best results.
Therefore, the future of the Indonesian national team in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers heavily depends on these naturalization efforts. High hopes are placed on Kevin Diks and Ole Romeny to help Indonesia advance further on the international stage.