The Jakarta under-12 (U-12) football team is once again representing Indonesia at the Dana Cup 2025 which will be held in Denmark from July 18 to 27, 2025. The tournament will be participated by around 1,000 teams from 45 countries.

"Our target is, of course, to win,"

Jakarta contingent consists of 19 members: one team leader, one coach, 2 assistant coaches, 14 athletes, and one supporting official. This marks Jakarta's second participation in the Dana Cup after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Head of Jakarta Youth and Sports Agency (Dispora), Andri Yansyah, expressed how proud he was of the opportunity. 

"Alhamdulillah, the Jakarta U-12 football team is finally returning to take part in the prestigious Dana Cup in Denmark in 2025. This is a proud achievement for both Jakarta and Indonesia," he conveyed when sending off the Jakarta U-12 team at East Jakarta Sports Hall on Jalan Otista, on Wednesday (7/16).

Andri noted that the Dana Cup has produced many world-class football players, and he hopes this year's participation will lead to the emergence of promising young talents who can make Jakarta and Indonesia proud on the global football stage.

He added that the players were rigolously selected from various football schools (SSB) in Jakarta. Therefore, Dispora is aiming for top achievements in this event.

"Insya Allah, they are the best athletes representing their schools, their regions, Jakarta and Indonesia. Our target is, of course, to win . Indonesia's young athletes can still compete with the world's bests in this age group," he said.

This participation, he explained, is not only about striving for excellence on the field, but also about fostering unity and demonstrating that Jakarta's students are capable to competing on the global stage.

After the tournament, Jakarta Dispora plans to provide continued development for athletes, especially those who show outstanding performance.

"If they win, they'll automatically be accepted into POPB (Student and Youth Sports Center) without test," he asserted.

One of the players representing Jakarta U-12 team at Dana Cup 2025 is Aldendra Diputra (12), a student from Mentari Intercultural School Jakarta. He shared his excitement and determination before heading to Europe with the team.

"I'm delighted to have the chance to represent Indonesia and play in Europe. I deserve to represent Jakarta and Indonesia because I've been disciplined and worked hard throughout the selection and training," he said.

Jakarta's team is scheduled to face a team from Malta in their opening match. As part of their preparations, Aldendra and his teammates are focusing on mental readiness and analyzing their opponents.

"We're working on staying mentally strong, not getting nervous. Our strategy is to watch how our opponents play on Youtube and then discuss tactics together," he added.

For information, the Dana Cup is one of the world's largest youth football tournaments, held annually in Denmark since 1982. It's known for its diversity, fierce competition, and its reputation as a stepping stone for many young players toward professional careers.