JAKARTA - Erick Thohir once owned Inter Milan and still has an interest in English club Oxford United, but the abiding football dream of the Indonesian businessman cum politician is to take his country back to the World Cup.
Football is followed passionately by tens of millions in the South-east Asian archipelago, but Indonesia's sole World Cup appearance came as the Dutch East Indies in 1938 and the country has rarely threatened a return since independence in 1945.
Thohir, who became chairman of the national football association (PSSI) in 2023, believes that Indonesia should at least be in the frame for a trip to the Finals in 2026 with up to nine slots available to Asian teams.
"Indonesia should be in the top nine in Asia, with our population and our passion for football from all of the people of Indonesia. But of course it takes time," the 54-year-old Cabinet minister said.
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