New head coach of Indonesia national team John Herdman: A history maker?

30/12/2025 14:40:00 GameGladiator

John Herdman is recognized as a history maker with landmark achievements for the national teams he has managed. Will this coach be able to recreate such fame when he assumes the position of head coach for Indonesia’s national team?

Lately, the name John Herdman has drawn great attention from Indonesian football supporters, particularly after the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) announced that the former Canada national team coach will oversee both the senior and U23 national squads of the country.

Building a reputation from... women's football

John Herdman is no stranger in the football world. According to FIFA and Transfermarkt data, the 50-year-old English strategist has coached multiple national teams. His coaching career began with the New Zealand women's national team from 2006 to 2011, a period during which Herdman truly developed his managerial skills and achieved foundational successes.

While leading the New Zealand women's team, Herdman established a strong squad both physically and tactically. As a result, he guided the team to qualify for the Women’s World Cup in 2007 and 2011. This was a historic milestone since New Zealand had not participated in the Women’s World Cup since 1991 until their return in 2007.

Beyond the World Cup, Herdman also took the New Zealand women's team to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where they managed a draw against Japan—a top contender for the championship. This achievement is regarded as a special highlight in New Zealand women's football history.

Herdman’s successes in New Zealand caught the attention of Canada. In 2011, he accepted the role of head coach for the Canadian women's team and continued to make history, mirroring his achievements with New Zealand. Early in his tenure, Herdman led Canada to win the 2011 Pan American Games. During the group stage, Canada defeated Argentina and drew with Brazil. The two teams met again in the final, where Canada triumphed over Brazil in a penalty shootout. This title brought international recognition to Herdman’s coaching abilities.

Will John Herdman make history for Indonesian football?

At the 2012 London Olympics, Herdman surprised many by taking the Canadian women's team to the semifinals. Although they did not advance further, he helped Canada secure the bronze medal after defeating France in the third-place match.

Another milestone came at the 2016 Rio Olympics. In the group stage, Canada won all three matches against Germany, Australia, and Zimbabwe. Similar to the previous Olympics, Canada reached the semifinals and went on to claim the bronze medal by beating Brazil in the third-place playoff.

John Herdman’s World Cup journey

These impressive achievements led the Canadian Football Association to entrust Herdman with a more prestigious task: revitalizing the men’s national team. In 2018, he officially took on this responsibility with the goal of returning Canadian football to the global stage.

Before Herdman took charge, Canadian football was in decline. According to the FIFA rankings, Canada was ranked 120th worldwide in 2017, a position comparable to Indonesia’s current rank of 122nd. This was a significant challenge for Herdman in his early coaching years.

However, Canada’s decision quickly proved wise. During the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the Canadian team under Herdman’s leadership performed brilliantly, nearly dominating their group. Alongside Mexico, the United States, and Costa Rica, Canada secured a spot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This was a historic achievement, marking Canada’s second World Cup appearance since their first in 1986.

For Canadian fans, John Herdman is truly a "history maker," someone who elevated the country’s football to a new level. This success is also linked with the development of stars like Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) and Jonathan David (Lille). Under Herdman, Canada’s FIFA ranking soared from 120th in 2017 to 33rd in February 2022, the highest in the nation’s football history up to that point. In 58 matches leading the men’s team, Herdman achieved a winning rate of 60%.

Herdman laid a solid foundation for the renaissance of Canadian football. Since his tenure, Canada has become a formidable competitor internationally and was even selected as one of the co-hosts for the 2026 World Cup. Although no longer coaching Canada, Herdman is remembered as the man who transformed the destiny of Canadian football. Afterwards, he moved on to coach Toronto FC in Major League Soccer (MLS).

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