The dream of advancing to the 2026 World Cup has been shattered.

Goodbye World Cup 2026! Indonesian National Team Loses 0-1 to Iraq, Garuda Becomes Group B Bottom

had to say goodbye to next year’s world tournament after suffering a 0-1 defeat to .

was confirmed to have no chance of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup due to the sole goal by Zidane Iqbal in the 76th minute at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

This loss placed firmly at the bottom of Group B in the fourth round.

is at the bottom of the standings with zero points.

Match Summary

The match initially progressed at a slow tempo.

Neither nor showed particularly aggressive play from the first minute.

But was slightly more dominant. This was marked by the first chance created by Thom Haye, who took a speculative shot in the ninth minute. But his shot from outside the penalty box went wide.

The first golden opportunity came for in the 14th minute. This chance was created through an attacking scheme from the right side.

Thom Haye delivered a short pass after breaking into the penalty box. Unfortunately, Mauro Zijlstra’s first-time shot from the pass was blocked by a player, resulting only in a corner kick.

Meanwhile, chose to wait more in their own area. The Lions of Mesopotamia relied on counter-attacks whenever there was an opening. But nothing was dangerous until the 28th minute.

got another golden opportunity in the 33rd minute. Thom Haye was again the key player through his movement on the right attacking side. The midfielder, nicknamed ‘the professor’, then passed to Eliano Reijnders near the penalty spot.

But Eliano failed to capitalize on that opportunity. Instead of shooting, his pass went back to Haye, who was standing in an offside position.

Two minutes before the first half ended, tried to create a dangerous chance through a free kick. But that opportunity failed because Munaf Younus was caught offside and collided hard with Maarten Paes.

Eventually, the first half ended with a 0-0 score. Both teams still couldn’t score their first goal.

In the second half, Kluivert tried to increase the attacking power by bringing in Ragnar Oratmangoen to replace Ricky Kambuaya. But ‘s dominance actually decreased.

appeared more aggressive in the second half. The Lions of Mesopotamia no longer waited, but tried to be bolder in building attacks. Fortunately, there were no significant chances until the 60th minute.

But didn’t remain idle. Although under pressure, managed to get the best chance in the 64th minute. It was Kevin Diks who nearly scored against , if only his shot inside the penalty box hadn’t been saved by goalkeeper Jalal Hassan.

Disaster struck in the 76th minute. The goal guarded by Maarten Paes was breached after Zidane Iqbal showed excellent individual skill and released a low shot to the left side of the goal.

The shot from the Manchester United academy graduate, who is also Miliano Jonathans’ teammate at FC Utrecht, successfully gave a 1-0 lead over .

This scoreline put under increasing pressure in the final 15 minutes. tried hard to equalize until injury time. But no goal was created, and the 0-1 score became the final result.

However, in the final minutes before the match ended, received two yellow cards, resulting in a red. Zaid Tahseen was sent off for excessive protest after being involved in contact with Kevin Diks inside the penalty box.

Starting XI vs :

(4-2-3-1):

Maarten Paes (GK); Calvin Verdonk, Jay Idzes, Rizky Ridho, Kevin Diks; Joey Pelupessy, Thom Haye;

World Cup 2026

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is not a place, but a major international football tournament scheduled to be hosted jointly by 16 cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams and the first to be hosted by three nations, building on the legacy of previous tournaments held in each country.

Indonesian National Team

The Indonesian National Team represents Indonesia in international football competitions. It was founded in 1930 during the Dutch colonial era as the Dutch East Indies national team and famously became the first Asian team to play in the FIFA World Cup in 1938. Following Indonesia’s independence, the team has competed in tournaments like the AFC Asian Cup while striving to qualify for another World Cup.

Iraq

Iraq is a country in the Middle East, historically known as Mesopotamia, which is often called the “Cradle of Civilization” for its ancient cities like Babylon and Ur. It was home to the Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian empires, which pioneered writing, law, and urban development. Today, Iraq is a nation with a rich cultural heritage, though it has faced significant challenges from conflict in the modern era.

Garuda

Garuda is a legendary bird-like creature and prominent figure in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain mythology. It is famously known as the mount (vahana) of the god Vishnu and is a symbol of speed, power, and martial prowess. Statues and depictions of Garuda are common across Southeast Asia, often serving as national and cultural symbols, such as in Indonesia and Thailand.

King Abdullah Sport City Stadium

King Abdullah Sport City Stadium is a major sports venue located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which opened in 2014. It was constructed as part of a larger initiative to develop the country’s sports infrastructure and is named after the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The stadium serves as the home ground for prominent Saudi football clubs Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad and has hosted major events, including the Italian Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Jeddah

Jeddah is a major port city on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, historically serving as the gateway for pilgrims traveling to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Its historic core, Al-Balad, is a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its distinctive coral stone architecture and traditional merchant houses. This area reflects Jeddah’s centuries-old role as a vital trading and cultural crossroads.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is a modern nation founded in 1932, but its history is deeply rooted as the birthplace of Islam in the 7th century. It is home to the religion’s two holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, which attract millions of pilgrims annually. The country’s culture and economy have been profoundly shaped by the discovery of vast oil reserves in the 20th century.

Lions of Mesopotamia

The Lions of Mesopotamia refer to a collection of ancient Assyrian stone reliefs and statues depicting lions, which were powerful symbols of royalty and strength. These artifacts, dating back to the Assyrian Empire (c. 2500–609 BCE), were prominently featured in palaces such as those at Nimrud and Nineveh in modern-day Iraq. They represent both the artistic skill of Mesopotamian civilization and the might of the Assyrian kings who commissioned them.