Timnas Indonesia missed out on the ASEAN Championship 2026 knockout rounds for the second tournament, finishing third in Group A behind group winner Vietnam and runner-up Singapore, according to tournament standings. The premature exit sparked intense scrutiny across regional sports media, with Vietnam’s Dantri publishing sharp comparisons between current manager John Herdman and his predecessors, Shin Tae-yong and the late Alfred Riedl, as reported by Kompas and TV One News.
Group Stage Exit Highlights Ongoing Struggles
The Indonesian national team’s campaign unraveled during a difficult group stage finish. Following a 3-0 defeat against Vietnam at Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, West Java, the Garuda squad needed a victory in their final group fixture to secure advancement, according to regional reporting. Instead, they settled for a 1-1 draw against Singapore, a result that allowed the Lions to claim second place in Group A with eight points, leaving Indonesia stranded in third place.
This early elimination marks the second ASEAN Championship in which Indonesia failed to progress past the group stage, following a similar exit in 2024 under Shin Tae-yong’s U-22 setup, as noted by TV One News. Historical records show that Indonesia has now gone 30 years without winning the regional AFF trophy, with John Herdman becoming the tenth manager in the nation’s history to miss out on the championship title.
Vietnamese Media Compares Herdman, Shin, and Riedl
Media coverage from Vietnam closely tracked the tournament outcomes, with Dantri.com.vn publishing an explicit evaluation of John Herdman’s credentials against those of past managers Shin Tae-yong and Alfred Riedl, according to Kompas. The outlet pointed to the contrasting trajectories of each coach during their initial assignments in Southeast Asia’s premier tournament.
“Jika dilihat dari segi popularitas dan kemampuan, pelatih Shin Tae Yong dan Alfred Riedl dinilai jauh lebih bagus daripada John Herdman,” wrote Dantri.com.vn, as cited by Kompas and TV One News, evaluating the English manager’s early performance as trailing his predecessors.
Alfred Riedl previously guided Indonesia to the final of the 2016 tournament, where the Garuda finished as runners-up to Thailand. Shin Tae-yong subsequently became the first and only manager to lead Indonesia through three editions of the competition (2020, 2022, and 2024), achieving a runner-up finish in the 2020 final against Thailand and reaching the semi-finals in 2022, before bowing out in the group stage in 2024.
Upcoming Fixtures and PSSI Evaluation Timeline
Despite the setback in the regional championship, John Herdman remains in charge as Indonesia prepares for upcoming international windows, according to coverage from Kompas and TV One News. Herdman’s contract with the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) runs through 2027, with the upcoming AFC Asian Cup 2027 serving as a primary benchmark for his tenure.
/data/photo/2026/08/03/6a70a59be55e3.jpeg "Photo: bola.kompas.com")
Before the continental tournament begins, Indonesia will compete in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, scheduled from late September to early October. Drawn into Group A alongside India, Singapore, and Malaysia, the team faces renewed performance expectations from federation leadership. PSSI has also arranged potential FIFA Matchday friendlies for November, with indications pointing toward possible fixtures against teams that participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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