State of the Game

Despite having the passion to succeed, corruption and mismanagement have turned Indonesia into football's failed state.

Standing at 1.45 metres in an oversized shirt, 13-year-old Muhammad Iqbal is the smallest player in the Indonesian Under-14 football team. He relies on his technique, determination and game intelligence to outplay bigger and more physical opponents. His father, Muhammad Sofyan, hopes he will turn professional and become famous like his favourite player, Argentine star Lionel Messi. At least three times a week, Sofyan takes his son to training and matches on his motorcycle. Iqbal promises to buy him a car if he ever plays for the senior national team. But the boy has to overcome more than a physical disadvantage to get there. Professional football in Indonesia is paved with pitfalls, despite possessing the ingredients to succeed. The best-loved sport in the nation of 240 million enjoys a talent pool larger than powerhouse Brazil and crowds matching the English Premier League. Yet match-fixing and mismanagement have left the nation near the bottom of world rankings, a far cry from its heady days as Asian giants in the 1950s.