Mees Hilgers, Taisei Marukawa Join Timnas TC in Bali

Mees Hilgers and Taisei Marukawa are joining the Indonesia national team training camp in Bali on November 9, 2026, detikSport reported.

The squad gathered on the island to prepare under head coach John Herdman after regional travel disruptions canceled scheduled friendlies in the Middle East.

Indonesia selected Bali for the training camp to fill a schedule gap after initial plans for away friendlies against Jordan and Kuwait collapsed due to escalating security concerns in the Middle East, according to detikSport. With no replacement fixtures available, the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) organized the domestic camp to keep the team active through November 17, 2026, as Media Indonesia reported.

National Team Body (BTN) Chairman Sumardji confirmed that 23 players received call-ups for the sessions. “We will run the TC until the 17th, maximum.”

For defender Mees Hilgers, the training camp marks a national team comeback following a lengthy absence since he played against Japan in June 2025. Sumardji stated that Hilgers and several other diaspora players traveling from the Netherlands arrived in Bali on Monday evening.

Meanwhile, the call-up represents a first for Taisei Marukawa, a Japanese-born player currently undergoing the naturalization process to become an Indonesian citizen. Sumardji explained that head coach John Herdman requested Marukawa’s presence to evaluate his fit within the squad. “Marukawa was called by John so he knows how Marukawa plays and how to unite him together in the team so the chemistry is there,” Sumardji said, according to Media Indonesia.

BTN indicated that additional diaspora players could join the Bali camp in the coming days, though officials declined to name specific targets. The current sessions are designed to assess individual capabilities and build cohesion ahead of upcoming competitive fixtures.

Looking beyond the November window, PSSI has begun mapping out long-term preparations by targeting fixtures for the March 2027 FIFA Matchday cycle, Media Indonesia reported. The forward-looking scheduling aims to secure confirmed opponents and avoid short-notice cancellations for the national team.

More on this story: Taisei Marukawa Called Up to Indonesia National Team Training Camp in Bali Amid Naturalization Process · Timnas Indonesia holds seven-day Bali training camp after Jordan match cancelled