Wins Gold Medal in 2023, Indonesia Exits in Group Stage at SEA Games 2025

The Indonesia U-22 team's effort to defend the SEA Games football gold medal ended prematurely. Garuda Muda could not repeat the glory of two years ago after being eliminated in the group stage of the 2025 SEA Games, despite closing their final Group C match with a victory.

Playing at the 700th Anniversary Stadium, Chiang Mai, on Friday, December 12, 2025, Indonesia secured a 3-1 win over Myanmar. 

This victory saw them finish as Group C runners-up with three points, but it was still insufficient to qualify for the semifinals via the best runner-up route.

Goal productivity became the bitter determinant of Indonesia's fate. The squad under the U-22 coach recorded a goal difference of 3-2, narrowly losing out to Malaysia, who finished as Group B runners-up with a 4-3 record. This was despite the win over Myanmar briefly opening hopes for advancing further.

This situation contrasts sharply with the achievement at the 2023 SEA Games, where Indonesia dominated from the start of the tournament. 

Back then, Garuda Muda, also led by Indra Sjafri, swept four wins in the group stage. They eliminated Vietnam in the semifinal and then seized the gold medal by defeating Thailand in extra time during the final.

Now, just two years later, the story is different. Indonesia concluded the 2025 SEA Games group stage with three points from two matches. 

Before winning against Myanmar, Rafael Struick and his teammates had to swallow a painful 0-1 defeat to the Philippines in the opening match. A result that ultimately proved crucial in the hunt for a semifinal ticket.

This failure serves as a reflection that competition at the Southeast Asian level is increasingly fierce. For Indonesia, the 2025 SEA Games is a reminder that defending a title is never easy. Even a big win in the final match couldn't close the gap that had opened since the start of the tournament.