Gothia Cup Opens Football Horizons

The Gothia Cup, held during the school holidays, is not just an ordinary tournament. This prestigious event is participated in by various school football teams from around the world. They bring their unique characteristics and football cultures to this age-group event known as the World Cup. The competition among teams is very fierce, testing the ingenuity in crafting tactics, as well as serving as a tough challenge for the mental resilience of young players.

A retrospective on the Gothia Cup competition this time is taken from the performance of the Kompas Gramedia League (LKG) team SKF Indonesia in 2015 in the Boys 15 category, which is for male talents under the age of 15. The performance of the LKG team immediately drew attention due to their victory in the opening match against S Lannzarote with a score of 2-1, on Sunday (13/7/2015).

"This stage belongs to you after four months of practice, show that you can," said the coach of the Kompas Gramedia League team, Indriyanto Nugroho, five minutes before the match began.

The Overasvallen field in the south of downtown Gothenburg, Sweden, truly belonged to the LKG team at that time. They played at a fast pace with a combination of short passes and direct balls forward. This aggressive play resulted in two goals within a span of 16 minutes.

Winger Muhammad Hambali Tolib opened the scoring in the fifth minute. The second goal came in the 21st minute thanks to midfielder Muhamad Rafi Syarahil's clever escape from an offside trap following a free kick. The two diminutive players also exchanged assists.

Quick goals were a characteristic of the LKG team at that time, with agile players who matched the aggressive playing style crafted by former striker Indriyanto, who is also a Primavera graduate. The aggressive gameplay was once again showcased in the second match against the Swedish team Soderhamns FF.

Muhammad Rafi Izzudin and his teammates played tactically and concluded the match with a resounding victory of 7-0 in the second match of Group 4 of the Gothia Cup 2015, Tuesday (14/7/2025). This victory ensures that the LKG team advances to the round of 64 in the Boys 15 category.

The performance of the LKG players is increasingly attracting the attention of teams from other groups. The third match against the Swedish team Pitea IF 1 at the Majvallen field on Wednesday (15/7/2015) was packed with spectators. In this match, there was a flood of goals, with the LKG team winning decisively 9-1, reminiscent of the Indonesian U-23 national team when they crushed Brunei Darussalam 8-0 at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Tuesday (15/7/2025) evening.

The goals for the LKG team were scored by midfielder Divie Alviandi Nauval Badruttaman (two goals), attacking midfielder Riza Alfin Zidane, striker Muhammad Rafi Izzudin, Rafi Syarahil (two goals), Aria Bisma Bagaskara, Muhammad Firhan Darmawan, and Muhammad Hambali Tolib.

The aggressive play of the LKG team garnered applause from the spectators and players of other teams waiting for their match schedule. The players from Abu Dhabi Youth FC, competing in the U-18 category, even sought to learn more about the LKG team.

"Which team are you from and in what age category?" asked a player from Abu Dhabi to the goalkeeper of the LKG team, Muhamad Riyandi.

After being answered that he was from Indonesia and playing in the U-15 category, the Abu Dhabi player patted his chest and laughed with relief.

"I think you are in the U-18 team. So we will not meet. Your game makes us worried; look, your opponents never controlled the ball. They should retire from football after this match," continued the player from Abu Dhabi, accompanied by laughter.

However, the Abu Dhabi player did not expect that his team would experience the same fate as Pitea IF 1. The Abu Dhabi Youth FC was defeated 9-0 by the Swedish representative BK Hacken that day.

The significant victory at the Majvallen field ensured that the LKG team advanced to the round of 128 or 1/64 finals as the champion of Group 4 in the Boys 15 category. Indonesia will face the second-placed team from Group 3, Subiaco Junior Soccer Club from Australia.

The knockout stage matches present greater pressure, as a defeat will end the pursuit of the championship. The mentality of not underestimating opponents after three consecutive victories has become the main topic in the team's evaluation.

"The round of 64 has implemented a knockout system. So this is a do-or-die match. I always remind the children to remain humble and to view the upcoming matches as finals," said the coach of the Kompas Gramedia League Team, Indriyanto Nugroho.

The former player of the Swedish club Helsingborgs B hopes that his protégés will not be complacent after three victories in the group stage. The opponents they will face are becoming increasingly challenging. The team from Australia generally has players with strong physiques. They will rely on their physical stature to hinder the fast-paced game of Team LKG.

"The knockout stage will test the children's mentality to stay calm and focused," said Indriyanto.

Indeed, the match against the Australian players was very tight and challenging. The Subiasco players were prepared with a defensive game and quick counterattacks, causing the LKG team, which initially took the lead, to fall behind twice with scores of 1-2 and 2-3. However, the fighting spirit of the young Indonesian players managed to force the match to be decided by a penalty shootout.

Tears and laughter accompanied the goal by Ahda Suhada, which determined the victory of the Liga Kompas Gramedia squad over Subiaco Junior Football Club from Australia in the round of 128 of the Gothia Cup in the Boys 15 category, Wednesday (15/7/2015). Indonesia won 4-3 through a penalty shootout after playing to a 3-3 draw over the course of 2x30 minutes.

The striker known as "Badak" ended the tension at Heden 3 Field, Gothenburg, Sweden. The shouts and applause of the supporters broke the evening air, which was beginning to bite the skin. Ahda ran to the edge of the field to approach the Indonesian supporters. Other players from Liga Kompas Gramedia (LKG) also rushed to catch up with Ahda.

They embraced Ahda. The shouts and laughter of the young players then turned into sobs. Tears of joy flowed after their fate in the Gothia Cup had been hanging by a thread.

"When stepping from the center of the field to the penalty spot, I feel nervous, there is a fear of not scoring. However, I try to stay focused. I do not want to fail again like last year (in the U-14 category) when I was eliminated at this stage," said Ahda.

However, in the team's evaluation after the match, the coach highlighted three goals by Subiaco. These goals revealed the weak points of the LKG team, which are vulnerable during counterattacks and less solid in anticipating set pieces. These weaknesses have become the focus of the LKG coaching staff's improvements. Additionally, assistant coach Benyamin Leobetty will be tasked with observing and analyzing the playing patterns of potential opponents in the next round.

However, in the knockout stage matches, there is no break. The round of 64 immediately takes place the following day, and on the same day, the qualifying teams will directly compete in the round of 32. Therefore, team surveillance can only be conducted during the round of 64 match between Mo IL from Norway and Accademia Internazionale Calcio from Italy.

Leobetty, accompanied by an Indonesian student in Sweden, observed the opponent's game, and the winning team emerged, Accademia Internazionale Calcio, which is affiliated with the major Serie A club Internazionale Milan. The team's play resembled that of Inter at the time, characterized by tight defense and quick counterattacks, as well as skillful execution of set pieces. Their victories were never by a large margin, but they were lethal in their attacks.

The LKG team started Thursday (16/7/2015) with high motivation after defeating Subiasco in a very challenging match. They were ready to face the challenge from the Swedish representative Vasby IK FK in the round of 64 at Slattadam 1 field. Aria Bisma Bagaskara and his teammates performed very calmly and tactically, achieving a victory of 8-0.

The LKG team only needed two minutes to breach the Vasby goal through winger Muhammad Hambali Tolib. Fifteen minutes later, it was Aria Bisma Bagaskara's turn to bring down the Vasby goalkeeper. A penalty by Riza Alfin Zidane in the 26th minute sealed a 3-0 victory before halftime.

In the second half, the fast-paced play of the LKG team resulted in a goal from Ahda Suhada. Four other goals were scored by Bagaskara, Ahda, a penalty from Divie Alviandi, and a shot from outside the penalty area by midfielder Raka Askara.

This significant victory is the result of the players' struggle, who continued to perform despite being in less than optimal condition. Left-back Rahmad Rizky Putra, whose left thigh is swollen and scraped, still bravely engaged in duels with opponents. He often winced when the injured area made physical contact with rivals.

Midfielder Divie Alviandi also sustained an injury to his right knee during the match against Subiaco, which caused him to limp. However, Divie continued to play tenaciously and engaged in duels with opponents to prevent the ball from entering the defensive area.

"If running does not hurt, but if I collide with an opponent and fall, it hurts a lot. However, it is okay, this is for achieving the championship target that we dream of," emphasized Rahmad Rizky.

The aggressive playing style of the LKG team ultimately encountered the very solid defensive style of Accademia Internazionale Calcio. They deployed five midfielders and three center-backs to close off the opponent's attacking space, leaving no gaps for the midfield players of the Liga Kompas Gramedia team to advance the ball forward.

Rafi Syarahil, Hambali Tholib, and Aria Bisma Bagaskara, who are key to advancing the ball, do not have much room to maneuver. They are always guarded by at least two opposing players, leaving no space to release a pass. The ball is more often halted in the midfield.

This deadlock forced the LKG players to play high balls, which unfortunately were not accurate. This high ball trap frustrated the LKG players, as the flow of the ball was more often intercepted by the tall defenders of Accademia Internazionale.

The opposing defenders are also very quick in transition. Strikers Ahda Suhada and Muhammad Rafi Izzudin, who rarely encountered opponents while sprinting to chase through balls in the previous five matches, this time faced tough defenders.

The Accademia players did not create many goal-scoring opportunities. They held the ball in the midfield and relied on counterattacks, as well as being skillful in set-piece execution. In the first half, their counterattack resulted in a goal in the 31st minute. Meanwhile, in the second half, they capitalized on two fouls outside the penalty area to score goals in the 61st and 64th minutes. Both free-kick goals were converted by midfielder Stefan Stankovic, the son of former Inter Milan midfielder from Serbia, Dejan Stankovic.

Their playing pattern is very solid because, according to their assistant coach, the players have been training together since the age of 10. They then underwent a developmental process from the U-12, U-14, and U-15 levels. These young players will continue to be promoted to junior levels until they can advance to professional clubs in Italy.

The 0-3 defeat at Grimbo 2 field in Gothenburg brought the LKG players to tears. The loss was very painful, but in football, winning and losing are two sides of the same coin that negate each other.

However, each provides a lesson for the players to become stronger. The face of football orbits in every match and will emerge together at the end of the game. The winning team will laugh, rejoice, and be filled with euphoria. Meanwhile, the losing team will hang their heads in disappointment, lamenting the defeat that flows alongside their tears.

At the Grimbo field that afternoon, the players of Accademia Internazionale Calcio entertained the LKG players. They praised the aggressive and fast-paced nature of Indonesian football. Sportsmanship is highly upheld in the Gothia Cup, and these young players maintain a strong sense of respect.

"We lost because the opponents played better. This is a valuable experience for us, as we get to know many playing styles of European teams," emphasized midfielder Divie Alviandi.

"From participating in the Gothia Cup twice (U-14 in 2014, and U-15 in 2015), the style of play between the age levels that differ by one year has changed significantly. In the U-15 category, the game is much tighter," said Yuswanto.

The experience gained in international matches against teams from various countries, each with their own football culture, is what makes the Gothia Cup significant. The main objective for most teams is not only to pursue victory but also to broaden their horizons in playing football. The Gothia Cup serves as a window to the future.

"The Gothia Cup is very important for children to learn about various styles of play. It is a meeting point for different countries. Children will interact with each other, exchange experiences, and they will certainly be motivated to strive even harder. This is a window to the future for the children," said the coach of the South Africa U-18 team, Ray Pienaar, at that time.

This year, the LKG-BRI Indonesia team is once again participating in the Gothia Cup, bridging young football talents from Indonesia to broaden their playing horizons. They compete while also encountering football cultures from various corners of the world. This experience will further strengthen the foundation of their future professional careers.