Thom Haye and Jay Idzes will most likely play their international matches for Indonesia soon. The Asian country's Football Association (PSSI) announced that Idzes has already successfully completed his naturalization process, while Haye is in the country to complete it.

Haye is currently one of the strong points of sc Heerenveen, where trainer Kees van Wonderen almost always calls on the midfielder. In conversation with Voetbalzone, Haye already announced in August that he was open to an international career for Indonesia. “I haven't had to make that choice yet. With some realism, it can be ruled out that I will ever play an international match for the Netherlands. We don't have to beat around the bush.”

“I have heard that there is a possibility to play for Indonesia, but that has not yet become concrete. It sounds like something that could be very nice, but I will only think about it when it becomes more concrete. I will have to see Whether that suits me. I don't know how that will work.”

Now, four months later, Haye will most likely make his international debut at the highest level soon. Haye previously said that he feels a connection with the country. “My grandfather and grandmother are from there, in that sense I have a connection with the country. My family also lives there. I have never met them, but the contact is still there. I have always said that I would like to go there one day to meet them. So I certainly have something to do with the country.”

People from Indonesia already knew that Haye could play for their national team. “I get tagged every day on social media by people from Indonesia, so I see it a lot,” Haye said in August. “That is often based on speculation. I have no idea who can and cannot play for Indonesia. It is up to the association to find out who is eligible. People send me messages: 'Please join Indonesia.'

Haye played nine times for the Dutch Juniors, but the now 28-year-old Amsterdammer never made an appearance in the top national team. Via AZ, Willem II, Lecce, ADO Den Haag and NAC Breda, Haye ended up at Heerenveen in the summer of 2022, for which he has played 68 matches to date.

Idzes
Just like Haye, Jay Idzes will soon make his international debut. The Venezia FC centre-back owes his Indonesian roots to his grandparents, just like Haye. The 23-year-old Idzes left Go Ahead Eagles last summer for an adventure in Serie B. To date, he has worn the shirt of the number two in the competition ten times.

Indonesia will participate in the Asia Cup next month. The country will face Iraq, Vietnam and Japan in Group D. It is not yet known whether the Indonesian Football Association hopes to have the pair eligible to play before the start of the tournament (January 12).

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