Diks says injured Idzes remains involved ahead of Indonesia-Thailand final
Indonesia's absent captain has stayed in touch with his teammates, while Kevin Diks says he intends to be fully ready despite physical strain.
Indonesia vice-captain Kevin Diks said injured captain Jay Idzes was disappointed to miss the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 as the team prepared to face Thailand in the final at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on 5 October.
Diks said Idzes had regularly called and messaged him throughout the tournament, following the team's progress and offering support. The Sassuolo defender also made a video call to his teammates after Indonesia beat Bangladesh 9-2 in their last group match.
Although injury had kept Idzes out of the competition, Diks said the captain remained part of the squad and was supporting his teammates as much as he could.
Diks, who plays for Borussia Monchengladbach, also acknowledged physical difficulties from playing several matches over a short period. He said he expected to be fine and intended to approach the Thailand match with the mindset that he would be 100 per cent ready.
Indonesia reached the final as Group A winners following the Bangladesh victory. Thailand finished top of Group B despite losing their final group fixture 1-2 to the Philippines.
