Jakarta — The roar of supporters has not yet fully echoed through Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), but the excitement surrounding the Indonesian National Team has already exploded across social media.

During the period from March 21 to March 26, 2026, ahead of the FIFA Series 2026 match against Saint Kitts and Nevis on Friday, March 27, 2026, social media became the main stage for public enthusiasm, which peaked at two crucial moments: the squad announcement and the first training session under newly appointed head coach John Herdman.

Using big data analytics tools, PT Binokular Media Utama (“Binokular”) conducted a study of social media conversations to examine public attention, argument distribution, and overall discussion ahead of the event.

Based on data from the Socindex social media listening dashboard, conversations about the Garuda squad’s preparations reached 24,555 mentions, with a striking total of 13,977,286 engagements throughout March 21-26, 2026. The highest spikes occurred on March 21 and March 24, coinciding with the moments when the public directly observed John Herdman’s early influence on the squad and when players, including returning familiar faces, gathered in Jakarta.

A Historic Moment Under Herdman’s Leadership

The monitoring report shows that beyond the squad announcement, the arrival of players and the first training session became the main topics attracting netizens’ attention. This moment is especially significant because the match against Saint Kitts and Nevis on March 27, 2026, will mark John Herdman’s official debut as head coach of the Indonesian National Team.

“The coaching transition from Patrick Kluivert to John Herdman last January became the backdrop for the high level of curiosity,” said Danu Setio Wihananto, Manager of Social Media Data Analytics (Socindex) at Binokular.

However, Danu added, the public was not only focused on the names included in the squad, but also on the new approach introduced by the Canadian coach in shaping the team. “The public is not only judging individual players, but also the team’s collective potential and the strategy that will be implemented by the coach,” he said.

This enthusiasm is also reflected in sentiment data, which is dominated by positive and neutral tones. A total of 65% of conversations were neutral in nature, meaning they were observational, followed by 26% positive sentiment filled with optimism, and only 9% negative sentiment, most of which was triggered by rivalry between club supporters rather than skepticism about the coach’s quality.

Major Attention on Elkan Baggott and Supporters’ “Longing”

In another finding, Danu said the first training session in Jakarta also marked the return of a long-awaited figure. The presence of Elkan Baggott, who had been absent from national team call-ups for quite some time, became a breath of fresh air for the public. Social media analysis recorded a strong warm response toward the towering defender.

“Netizens seem to have deeply missed the experience of supporting the Indonesian National Team,” Danu continued. “That sense of longing is projected not only onto the team as a whole, but also onto individuals considered worthy of wearing the Red and White jersey.” He added that Elkan Baggott’s call-up became one of the main issues driving positive sentiment on TikTok and Instagram timelines.

The Dean James Polemic and Club Rivalries

Although enthusiasm was generally very high, there was one note of disappointment among a small segment of the public: Dean James’ failure to join the national team. This issue briefly heated up because it was linked to questions surrounding citizenship status and work permit matters in the Netherlands.

However, Sumardji, Chairman of the National Team Agency, firmly clarified that Dean James’ absence was purely due to John Herdman’s tactical choice. “This shows that even though the new coach has gained strong public trust, every technical decision remains under intense public scrutiny,” Danu explained.

Interestingly, the negative sentiment that emerged, amounting to 9%, was mostly fueled by rivalries among supporters of clubs in Indonesia’s domestic league. Comments such as “better the trio of Ridho, Jay Idzes, and Hubner” illustrate how preferences for certain players are often mixed with the rivalry atmosphere between The Jakmania of Persija and Bobotoh of Persib.

Even so, this social media research concludes that the criticism actually reflects the high level of emotional involvement among supporters, which is ultimately a form of concern and expectation that the team will perform competitively.

Measured Optimism in a New Era

With total engagement nearing 14 million within just five days, public enthusiasm ahead of John Herdman’s debut and the national team’s first training session was clearly at a very high level. Public optimism did not emerge solely from the sense of missing national team football, but also from the perception that the announced squad was more complete and competitive.

“The presence of Herdman is seen as bringing a different atmosphere to the team-building process, which is expected to add depth to positions previously viewed as less than optimal,” said Ridho Marpaung, Vice President of Operations at Binokular Big Data Analytics.

Ridho added that the coach’s tactical decisions, including player selection for the upcoming match, will always remain a topic of intense discussion. Still, one thing is certain: public attention is now fixed on SUGBK, waiting to see how John Herdman’s strategy unfolds in his first match and whether the “collective spirit” envisioned by supporters will truly materialize on the pitch.

This is reinforced by Social Network Analysis data showing that discussions about Herdman’s debut and the first training session were not centered on a single account. Instead, there was a dynamic semi-centralized network structure.

The official account @timnasindonesia became the main node with the highest connectivity, indicating that official communication from PSSI still carries strong influence. However, information distribution was also amplified by accounts such as @punditfavoritmu on TikTok, as well as fanbase accounts like @idextratime and @timnasxtra.

The presence of bridge accounts such as @yeahitsrif, @fandomid_, and @direktoridosen also played a crucial role. Ridho said, “They serve as connectors linking various smaller clusters within the football community, ensuring that information about John Herdman’s new strategy and the team’s development spreads across communities rather than circulating within only one group.”

Commenting on the wave of public enthusiasm on social media, Ridho expressed hope that the positive energy from nearly 14 million interactions would become a real morale boost for the Garuda squad. “John Herdman’s debut as head coach of the Indonesian National Team marks a new chapter in the team’s journey. This tremendous wave of public enthusiasm should become a fresh source of motivation for the national team, including Coach John Herdman, to begin a new chapter and move forward with hope for new achievements. After all, football and the national team remain stories that are deeply relatable to the majority of Indonesians. Good luck, Garuda!” Ridho concluded.

---

Thank you.

Contact Persons

Danu

Ridho