PSSI officially announced the appointment of David Nascimento as the new head coach of the Indonesia U-17 National Team on Friday (3/7). The Portuguese national is no stranger to the federation's internal structure, as he currently also holds the responsibility of Head of the PSSI Academy.
Born in Sao Vicente on April 16, 1966, Nascimento is a UEFA Pro licensed coach with a solid educational background, holding an International Master in Sports Management degree from the Johan Cruyff Institute. His tactical experience gained even more recognition after he served as assistant manager to renowned coach Louis van Gaal during his tenure at Dutch club AZ Alkmaar in the 2005–2006 season.
Nascimento's coaching career is extensive and cross-border. Before accepting the offer to manage the Young Garuda, he served as head coach of FC Eindhoven (2018–2020), Al Ittihad (2020/2021), and had crucial experience as Technical Director and women's national team coach of Jordan during the 2021–2026 period.
In his new role, Nascimento will be accompanied by a duo of assistant coaches who possess a deep understanding of local and international football: former Indonesia National Team midfielder Ahmad Bustomi and football legend Simon Tahamata. Additionally, other support staff have been prepared, including Muhamad Alimudin as fitness coach, Taufik Nur Hidayat as video analyst, and Arief Priyadhi taking up the goalkeeper coach position.
The first task awaiting Nascimento is to lead the Indonesia U-17 National Team in the Garuda Championship Series 2026 friendly tournament. His squad is scheduled to face Malaysia U-17 at the Manahan Stadium, Solo, on July 4 and 7, 2026. This series of matches serves as the initial strategic step in the team's preparation before entering the 2027 AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers, which will be held in November.
