Indonesia national football team gifted Rolex watches by president after World Cup qualifier victory over China

By Hoang Nguyen June 9, 2025 | 02:54 pm PT

Members of the Indonesia national football team were treated to a celebratory lunch and gifted Rolex watches by President Prabowo Subianto following their 1-0 victory over China in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

President Prabowo Subianto welcomes members of Indonesia national football team at his private residence on Jalan Kertanegara, Jakarta on June 6, 2025. Photo by Presidential Secretariat Office

President Subianto welcomed the team to his private residence on Jalan Kertanegara, Jakarta, on June 6, a day after Indonesia's historic win against China in the third round of World Cup qualifiers. The meeting lasted about 90 minutes. As the players departed, each was seen carrying a bag containing a Rolex GMT-Master II watch, valued at around IDR 254 million (US$15,600), according to media outlet Suara.

During the lunch, President Subianto praised head coach Patrick Kluivert and the team's performance. He encouraged the players to maintain their determination and continue striving for success in the remaining matches of the World Cup qualifying campaign.

President Subianto was also present at Jakarta's Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on June 5 to witness the team's milestone win. He was seen joyfully celebrating in the stands after Ole Romeny converted a penalty to score the match's only goal. After the final whistle, he walked down to the field to congratulate Kluivert and the team, CNBC reported.

The crucial win keeps Indonesia in the running for a spot at the 2026 World Cup spot, but was not enough to help them qualify directly. The top two spots in the group are already secured by Japan (20 points) and Australia (16 points). Indonesia (12 points) and Saudi Arabia (13 points) still have a chance in the fourth round of qualifiers.

Under the tournament's format, the third and fourth-placed teams in each group will move on to the fourth round, scheduled to take place in a West Asian country from Oct. 8 to 14.

These six teams will be split into two groups in a round-robin format. The two group winners will secure direct qualification to the World Cup. The two runners-up will face off in a two-legged play-off on Nov. 13 and 18. The winner of that tie will advance to the intercontinental play-off, where they will compete against representatives from North and Central America, South America, Africa and Oceania for one of the final two World Cup slots.