REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- FC Twente defender Mees Hilgers admitted that he had wanted to defend the Indonesian national team for a very long time before he met and shook hands with the Chairman of the All Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) Erick Thohir on Friday (6/9/2024). Hilgers said the offer to defend the Red Whites had come while he was still defending Twente U-19, which he has been defending since July 2018 at the age of 17.

“I have wanted to do this for a long time, but circumstances do not allow it. I am very busy with Twente. So I don't think too much about the national team,” said the defender, who chose Indonesian blood from his mother from Manado, North Sulawesi, via YouTube FC Twente, quoted Saturday (7/9/2024).

Hilgers said interest in defending the Red Whites grew after he had one cap with the Netherlands U-21s. His one cap came in September 2022 when he appeared 45 minutes in a test match that ended in a 2-1 win against Belgium U-21.

He then directly contacted Fardy Bachdim, who had been his agent at the time, to express his wishes. “I first played for the Dutch junior team, but the longer I got interested in Indonesia. I started thinking “Why not? Why don't I play for the Indonesian team? ,” explained the 23-year-old defender.