Former Indonesia national team player Sergio van Dijk has founded the Neo Gen Football Academy in Bandung as a development platform to produce young football talent able to compete up to the professional level.

BANDUNG (ANTARA), 11 October 2026 – Sergio said the academy was formed to help children in West Java get a clear development pathway towards professional football.

Today is the opening of our football academy, Neo Gen FA. We want to help children in 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 an U-10 age-group team scheduled to take part in the SingaCup tournament in Singapore at the end of October 2026, while its U-14 team is planned to play in the ASEAN Youth Cup in November.

In his view, experience of playing at international level is important for broadening the horizons and improving the ability of young Indonesian players from an early age.

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

Sergio van Dijk

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

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

Sergio van Dijk

He said the development programme run by Neo Gen Academy should be used as well as possible by the young players as part of their route to the professional level, and that early-age football development should be oriented not to titles but to improving the players’ abilities.

Being a champion is good, but it is not the main goal. What matters more is the process and the development of the children.

Sergio van Dijk

Source: ANTARA News Jawa Barat (translated from Indonesian; reporter Rubby Jovan Primananda, editor Riza Fahriza)

Article Link: https://jabar.antaranews.com/berita/711900/sergio-van-dijk-dirikan-neo-gen-academy-di-bandung-demi-cetak-talenta-muda