Indonesia captain Rizky Ridho dropped after attacking Vietnam

Rizky Ridho has gone from captaining Indonesia at the ASEAN Cup to missing the country’s squad for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026. His exclusion, previously rumored for two weeks, became official when coach John Herdman released the team list.

The decision sparked debate in Indonesian football. Local media had initially rejected a leaked list that omitted Ridho, saying it was inaccurate. Once the official squad appeared, however, the captain was absent. Indonesian football analyst Ronny Pangemanan described it as a heavy consequence for Ridho’s poor performance at the ASEAN Cup.

Some Indonesian outlets also recalled that Ridho had become a controversial figure during the tournament, suggesting that form was not the only factor. Before Indonesia played Vietnam in the group stage, Ridho said, “They will play as they did before, but this time VAR will protect us.” His comment echoed former Indonesian player Erol Iba’s claim that Vietnam often played violently and provoked opponents.

“

They will play as they did before, but this time VAR will protect us.

The remarks angered many Vietnamese fans, who argued that Indonesia was usually the more physical side. Ridho then made mistakes that contributed to goals in both Indonesia’s matches against Vietnam and Singapore, helping send the team to a painful elimination.

After the tournament, Yunus Nusi, secretary general of the Football Association of Indonesia, said national-team players should learn to control their comments. The statement signaled dissatisfaction with the media controversies created by the country’s stars. Ridho’s poor form and public disputes made his omission understandable to some observers, although dropping a player who had worn the captain’s armband remained a strong decision by Herdman. The article also noted that Ridho was one of the few fully domestic-born players in Indonesia’s current squad.

“

Vietnam plays dirty.