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| AFP Yonhap News |
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| Photo=capture Twitter |
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A player who chose Shin Tae-yong instead of Europe saved the Indonesian national team.
Indonesia's TV One News reported on the 3rd (Korea time) 'Even though he had the opportunity to play for the European national team, Lee did not hesitate to join the Indonesian national team' Television One News reports that Sandy Walsh inherited Irish and Swiss ancestry from her father. But he chose the Indonesian national team. He admitted that he had also received great attention from Ireland.
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| AFP Yonhap News |
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In Asian soccer, naturalization is the talk of the town recently. Starting with Indonesia, Southeast Asian countries are reinforcing their power through full-fledged naturalization policies. Indonesia has added several players to the Indonesian national team since Shin Tae-yong, vice chairman of the Korea Football Association, led the naturalization policy himself. Several naturalized players, including Ole Romeni, Emile Audero, Marton Pazelkan and Elkan Bagot, are already active as Indonesia's main players under coach Patrick Kluibert. Indonesia also advanced to the fourth Asian qualifying round for the 2026 North-China World Cup, keeping alive its hopes of advancing to the first World Cup finals in history thanks to its naturalization policy.
Among them, the player chosen by coach Shin Tae-yong in the past is contributing greatly to the Indonesian national team. It's Sandy Walsh. Walsh was born in Belgium and is of all Dutch, Irish and Indonesian descent. He made his professional debut in Genk, played for Jülter Barreham and Mehelen, and is currently playing for Yokohama Marinos in the Japanese J-League. In 2023, Walsh decided to join the Indonesian national team after persuading Shin Tae-yong, despite the European national team's interest, and has been playing as a defender of the Indonesian national team so far.
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| Photo=capture Twitter |
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Walsh also admitted that he had already received the attention of the Irish national team in 2021. At the time, he said in an interview that "I knew I was interested because Ireland needed me as a full-back. But I said in an interview that I would play in Indonesia. Ireland is in Europe, and may be better than Indonesia. But my heart chose Indonesia. My choice was right." Walsh has consistently expressed his affection for the Indonesian national team. He also revealed that `I got along well with my grandfather and always liked Indonesia.'
Walsh's affection for Indonesia led to Indonesia being saved from World Cup qualifying. Walsh played an active role as a key defender during the third qualifying round for the 2026 North Korea-China World Cup. In an away match in Saudi Arabia, he even scored a point and presented Indonesia with a point. Without Walsh's performance, Indonesia may have been difficult to continue its hopes until the fourth qualifying round. The talent chosen by head coach Shin Tae-yong saved Indonesia.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
