Maarten Paes: The Naturalized Goalkeeper Ready to Guard Indonesia’s Goal

Maarten Paes, a goalkeeper born in Nijmegen, Netherlands, on May 14, 1998, officially became an Indonesian citizen in April 2024. Standing at 1.92 meters tall, he has Indonesian heritage from his grandmother, who hails from Kediri, East Java.

Before joining the Indonesian national team, Paes played for Dutch clubs like NEC and FC Utrecht and is currently playing for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer (MLS). He made his debut for Indonesia in September 2024 in a match against Saudi Arabia, where he successfully saved a penalty and was named Man of the Match.

His presence is expected to strengthen Indonesia’s defense in various international competitions.