Former Indonesia national team striker Sergio Van Dijk and fellow former international Raphael Maitimo have founded Neo Gen Football Academy in Bandung. Its U-10 team is scheduled to play at SingaCup in Singapore at the end of October 2026.

BANDUNG – As a sign of his concern for the development of football in Indonesia, former Indonesia national team striker Sergio Van Dijk, together with another former national team player, Raphael Maitimo, has founded Neo Gen Football Academy in the city of Bandung.

According to Sergio, the academy is expected to become a development platform that produces young football talent able to compete up to the professional level.

We want to help the children of West Java and Bandung build a pathway to professional football.

Sergio Van Dijk, in Bandung on Sunday

He explained that Neo Gen Football Academy already has a U-10 age-group team that is scheduled to take part in the SingaCup tournament in Singapore at the end of October 2026. Meanwhile, the U-14 team is planned to play in the ASEAN Youth Cup tournament this coming November.

Sharpening the Mentality Early

According to him, the experience of competing at the international level is important for broadening horizons, sharpening mentality and improving players’ abilities from an early age.

We have many connections outside Indonesia and want the children who are the future generation of Indonesian football to get the experience of playing in international competitions.

Sergio Van Dijk

Sergio said that player development must start at the grassroots level so that progress can be sustained over the long term.

In my view, development must also start from the grassroots. What is happening now may be a short-term success, but we want to see development over the long term.

Sergio Van Dijk

Step by Step

Another founder of Neo Gen Football Academy, Rizky Bagja, added that the academy is being built in stages, with an initial focus on the 10-year-old and 15-year-old age groups.

He said Neo Gen Football Academy will select around 15 to 20 of the best players in the 10-year-old age group to represent the academy at Singa Cup in Singapore.

Meanwhile, former Indonesia national team player Dedi Kusnandar supports the founding of Neo Gen Football Academy in Bandung as a platform for producing young football talent able to compete up to the professional level.

I appreciate it, because there are now many platforms for children in Bandung and West Java to express their abilities, so that they can achieve more.

Dedi Kusnandar

Source: Mimbar Nusantara (translated from Indonesian)

Article Link: https://mimbarnusantara.com/sepakbola/56273/bantu-kembangkan-sepak-bola-indonesia-sergio-van-dijk-dkk-dirikan-neo-gen-academy/