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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
John Duerden

John Herdman led Canada to a long-awaited World Cup. Can he do the same with Indonesia?

Newly appointed head coach of Indonesia's national soccer team John Herdman gestures as he speaks during a press conference in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026.
John Herdman arrives in Indonesia after experiencing success with Canadian national teams. Photograph: Achmad Ibrahim/AP

There’s a simple change of scenery, and then there’s John Herdman’s latest coaching move.

The 50-year-old has taken quite a jump from Canada, a huge country where soccer is not the biggest sport, to Indonesia, a huge country where it definitely is. If he can repeat his 2022 heroics for 2030, he will be a hero to a nation of 280 million people who are just desperate to return to the global stage. Canada had a gap of 36 years between their first and second World Cup appearances. If the new coach in Jakarta is successful next time, then what will be a 92-year wait would come to an end.

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