TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – One more step in the process naturalization of players Sandy Walsh and Jordi Amat will be settling in soon. Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali revealed that President Joko Widodo or Jokowi signed a presidential decree (Keppres) on granting Indonesian citizenship to the two footballers.

“The presidential decree has been signed and the swearing-in is still ongoing,” Zainudin Amali said in Jakarta, Wednesday, November 9, 2022.

The presidential decree for Sandy is numbered 5/PWI in 2022 while for Jordi it is numbered 6/PWI in 2022. Then they just need to take an oath as Indonesian citizens and get passports.

After all the processes are completed, Sandy and Jordi can be called up to the Indonesian national team which will participate in the 2022 AFF Cup. AFF will take place on November 20, 2022.

“We hope that later we can register for the AFF Cup,” Zainudin said.

However, the Minister of Youth and Sports admitted he did not know when Sandy and Jordi were sworn in as Indonesian citizens. But, he made sure that both players would become Indonesian citizens first compared to Shayne Pattynama.

Shayne, a player from the Netherlands, just had his naturalization meeting at Committee III of the Indonesian House of Representatives on Wednesday, November 9, 2022.

“I think Sandy and Jordi will go first (to become Indonesian citizens). For Shayne, the naturalization process can be quick if all the administrative requirements are met,” Zainudin said.

Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali (second from right), Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights Edward Hiariej (second from left) and PSSI General Chairman Mochamad Iriawan (right) attend a working meeting with DPR Commission III to discuss the naturalization of footballers Jordi Amat and Sandy Walsh at Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta on Monday August 29, 2022. During the meeting, all members of the Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives have agreed on the naturalization of Sandy Walsh and Jordi Amat so that they become Indonesian citizens (WNI) so that the two Belgian and Spanish footballers can be aligned during the match against Curaçao in September 2022. ANTARA PHOTO /Aditya Pradana Putra

Sandy and Jordi brief profile

Sand Walsh, 27, and Jordi Amat, 30, are both defenders with long careers in Europe. Everyone comes from the Netherlands and Spain.

Sandy who has never had a career outside Belgium. Currently, the player who plays as a right-back is currently defending club KV Mechelen in the Belgian League.

Temporary, Jordi Amat played for Espanyol, Swansea City and Real Betis. Now he plays in the Malaysian Super League for the Johor Darul Ta’zim team.

Sandy Walsh and Jordi Amat. (Instagram/Hasania Abdulgani)

AFF Cup TC Plan

The Indonesian national team will face the 2022 AFF Cup tournament which will be held from December 20 to January 16, 2023.

The training camp for the preparation of the event is due to start on November 28, 2022. However, PSSI has not confirmed the location of the TC, whether in Jakarta or Bali.

In this AFF 2022 Cup, Indonesian national team are in Group A with defending champions Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia and the winners of the playoffs between Brunei Darussalam and Timor Leste.

Read also : The House of Representatives has approved the naturalization process for Shayne Pattynama