From 28th to 14th in the World: Hector Souto and the Quiet Revolution of Indonesian Futsal

The Indonesian national futsal team has officially broken into the world elite by ranking 14th in the FIFA ranking with 1269.82 points. This achievement marks a new milestone for the Garuda squad that previously struggled only in the middle of the Southeast Asian table. The leap is inseparable from the role of Spanish coach Hector Souto, who took charge in mid-2024.

Before the Souto era, Indonesian futsal's journey was full of twists. The highest achievement came in 2010 when they won the AFF Futsal Championship in Ho Chi Minh City after beating Malaysia 5-0. However, after that Indonesia often fell short in finals, including finishing as runners-up in 2019 and 2022. Thailand's dominance in the region was also a thick wall that was hard to break through.

Souto's arrival brought fresh air. He replaced Marcos Sorato, who had previously come close to delivering gold at the 2021 Asian Games and the 2022 AFF Futsal Championship but always ended up as runner-up. When Souto arrived, the FIFA futsal ranking had just been introduced and Indonesia was in 28th place. Now, Indonesia is the fourth force in Asia after Iran, Thailand, and Japan.

Souto's first year bore sweet fruit. After a 14-year wait, Indonesia lifted the AFF Futsal Championship trophy again in 2024. Souto also became the first coach to deliver a SEA Games gold medal for the national futsal team in 2025. At the peak, he led Mochammad Iqbal Iskandar and his teammates to the 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup final after eliminating Japan in the semifinals. In the final, Indonesia nearly pulled off an upset before falling 4-5 to Iran on penalties after a 5-5 draw over 50 minutes.

"We are no longer just participants. We come to compete with the best," Souto said on one occasion, describing the shift in the squad's mentality.

Currently, Souto is leading the team at the 2026 Copa das Nacoes de Futsal in Brazil (14-18 October). Indonesia is in Group A with hosts Brazil and Cape Verde. Despite losing 0-3 to Brazil, this participation is a valuable test to measure the gap between Indonesia and the giants of world futsal. The experience of playing against the world's number one team is important capital for upcoming tournaments.

Indonesian futsal's rise is also inseparable from youth development and an increasingly competitive domestic competition. Several young players are starting to earn places in the senior squad, offering hope for regeneration. However, challenges remain, especially consistency of performance at the Asian and world levels. The federation is urged to keep improving the quality of the league and training facilities so that this achievement does not stop with one generation.

Looking ahead, will Indonesia be able to maintain its 14th world ranking and even break into the top 10? All eyes will be on the progress of Souto's team in the upcoming tournaments, including the Futsal World Cup qualifiers. If the positive trend continues, it is not impossible for futsal to become a sport that once again brings honor to the nation on the global stage.