Indra Sjafri: Nova Arianto Backs PSSI Decision

KOMPAS.com – PSSI’s decision to end cooperation with Indra Sjafri gave rise to various reactions from the national football public.

One of the supports came from the Indonesian U20 National Team coach, Nova Arianto, who expressed his appreciation for Indra Sjafri’s big role in his coaching career.

Indra Sjafri officially parted ways with PSSI on Tuesday (16/12/2025) after unsatisfactory results with the Indonesian U22 National Team at the 2025 SEA Games.

This decision was taken after a thorough evaluation of the performance of the Garuda Muda team.

PSSI Evaluation After Failure at the 2025 SEA Games

Also read: Sumardji’s highlights on the performance of the Indonesian U22 National Team at the 2025 SEA Games

PSSI decided to end its collaboration with Indra Sjafri after the Indonesian U22 National Team failed to advance to the semifinals of the 2025 SEA Games.

This result was in the spotlight because the Indonesian U22 National Team came to the tournament with the status of defending champion.

Garuda Muda was eliminated in the group phase, an achievement that was considered far from the federation’s target.

This situation prompted PSSI to evaluate the performance of the coaching team, which resulted in the decision to part ways with Indra Sjafri.

With the end of this collaboration, it is certain that the coach from West Sumatra will no longer be involved in PSSI’s coaching structure in the future.

Until now, Indra Sjafri has not provided an official statement regarding this decision.

Nova Arianto Expresses Appreciation and Thank You

Also read: The failure of the U22 National Team at the 2025 SEA Games is a bitter pill, beyond predictions

In the midst of Indra Sjafri’s silence, a number of figures who had worked with him expressed their support.

One of them is Nova Arianto, who currently serves as coach of the Indonesian U20 National Team.

For Nova, Indra Sjafri is not just a colleague, but a figure who has provided important opportunities in his career in the Indonesian National Team.

Indra Sjafri was the coach who first gave Nova the confidence to be involved in the coaching process at the national team level.

This opportunity paved the way for Nova Arianto to later become Shin Tae-yong’s assistant for several years.