Hector Souto's Strategy for the 2026 ASEAN Futsal Championship: Not Fielding the Strongest Squad

Indonesian National Futsal Team coach Hector Souto has made another bold move. Ahead of the 2026 ASEAN Futsal Championship, the Spanish tactician has chosen to include mostly new faces in his squad. This strategic decision confirms a new direction for the senior national team's development.

Out of the 25 names on the long list, only Dewa Rizki and Yogi Saputra were part of the Garuda Squad when they became finalists at the 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup. 

This means the majority of the current squad are players who previously did not feature in that Asian-level tournament.

This decision was not without reason. In a statement on his official Instagram account on Friday, Souto emphasized that this step is part of efforts to increase internal competition within the senior national team.

"Over the past year and a half, the national team has undergone one of the most successful periods in its history: AFF Championship 2024 champions, 2025 SEA Games Gold medalists, and AFC Championship 2026 runners-up. This is the reality; we are the best national team in this country's history," said Souto.

These achievements include the AFF Futsal Championship 2024 title, 2025 SEA Games Gold, and runner-up status at the Asian level. However, instead of resting on their laurels, Souto chose to expand internal competition within the squad.

"In this last cycle, our focus was on the development of the senior players: increasing their competitiveness, adaptability in various game situations, and competing against opponents from South America, Europe, and Asia," he added.

Planned Regeneration, Not Experimentation

This step is actually not new for the Indonesian National Futsal Team. Last year, when participating in the China Invitational Tournament in September, Indonesia also fielded second-tier players under coach Amril Daulay's direction. 

The results remained impressive as Indonesia emerged champions after defeating Denmark 4-2 in the final.

Now, a similar pattern is being applied again. The difference is that this time the goal is bigger: building long-term squad depth towards the ambitious target of qualifying for the 2028 Futsal World Cup.

Souto stressed that this approach is part of a progressive plan that has been systematically structured.

"We follow a progressive planning model divided into various cycles and phases, each with specific objectives, where the main target is to achieve peak performance at the most crucial moments," said the Spanish coach.

Healthy Competition for Global Targets

With more players gaining international experience, technical and mental aspects are expected to improve as well. 

Healthy competition within the team becomes a crucial foundation to prevent complacency, while also ensuring Indonesia has balanced squad depth in every position.

The 25 players on the long list are scheduled to undergo a training camp after the month of Ramadhan ends. 

This moment will be a proving ground for the new players to secure a permanent place in the main team.

"Now is the time to give new players the opportunity to show their best potential and open up possibilities for integration into the national team, to continue strengthening our competitive identity," Souto concluded.

The decision to bring new faces to the 2026 ASEAN Futsal Championship confirms that the Souto era is not just about instant results, but long-term foundation building. 

Indonesia doesn't just aim to dominate in Southeast Asia, but to look towards the world stage with mature and competitive preparation.