Indonesia goes Dutch in pursuit of World Cup dreams

JAKARTA — An Indonesian team under Dutch colonial rule sailed to France for the 1938 World Cup — it lost its only game 6-0 and the country has not played at the tournament since.

More than 80 years on, soccer-mad Indonesia is dreaming of a return, with a large contingent of Netherlands-born players spearheading the charge.

Indonesia is in the decisive third round of Asian qualifying as it attempts to reach the 2026 World Cup in North America.