Persija Jakarta
Persatuan Sepakbola Indonesia Jakarta (commonly known as Persija Jakarta, literally translates to Indonesian Football Association of Jakarta), is a professional football club based in the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta. Persija Jakarta is one of the most successful football clubs in Indonesia with 2 Indonesian League titles and 9 Perserikatan titles. It has never been in a lower league since a nationwide competition started in 1930, fifteen years before Indonesia became an independent country.[5] Persija is one of the founders of the Indonesian football association PSSI, along with six other clubs. Persija's rivalry with fellow PSSI founder Persib Bandung has gone on for decades, occasionally marred by violence.[6][7]
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| Full name | Persatuan Sepakbola Indonesia Jakarta | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Macan Kemayoran (The Kemayoran Tigers)  | |||
| Short name | 
  | |||
| Founded | 28 November 1928, as Voetbalbond Boemipoetera (V.B.B.) 30 June 1929, as Voetbal Indonesische Jacatra (V.I.J.) May 1942, as Persidja[1]  | |||
| Ground | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium Jakarta International Stadium  | |||
| Capacity | 77,193[2] | |||
| Owner | PT Persija Jakarta Hebat | |||
| President Director[3] | Ambono Janurianto[4] | |||
| Coach | Thomas Doll | |||
| League | Liga 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | Liga 1, 8th of 18 | |||
| Website | Club website | |||
| 
 | ||||
| 
 Active departments of  | ||
|---|---|---|
Football  | 
Football (Women's)  | 
Football U-20 (Men's)  | 
Football U-18 (Men's)  | 
Football U-16 (Men's)  | 
Esports  | 
History
    
    Foundation and early years
    
Persija has roots that predate the current Indonesian state, which declared independence in 1945. Its forerunner, the Voetbalbond Indonesische Jacatra (VIJ), was formed on 28 November 1928 as a football club for indigenous residents of Jakarta when the Dutch were still colonizing the country. The name Jacatra refers to a fort on the northern coast of present-day Jakarta. VIJ, along with six other indigenous clubs, established PSSI on 19 April 1930 and won the first PSSI-authorized competition in 1931.[8][9]
Post-independence
    
VIJ changed its name to Persija in 1950, five years after the 1945 Indonesian independence. In mid-1951, a club with ethnic Chinese, Dutch and Eurasian players joined the rebranded outfit. As the Indonesian national football team in the 1950s heavily depended on Persija, its line-ups at that time were filled by many ethnic Chinese, Dutch and Eurasian players from the Jakarta club.[10]
Amateur years (1951-1994)
    
After the 1945 independence, national football competitions in Indonesia centred on region-based associations of amateur clubs that received funding from the state. These associations, including Persija, played against each other in an annual tournament known as Perserikatan, which literally means union. Almost all of these associations were seen as representatives of the main ethnic group in their respective regions, flaming primordial sentiments. Multicultural Persija was the exception. Persija won six national titles in the Perserikatan years. However, its fanbase was small and less passionate compared to ethnic-based supporter groups of Persib Bandung, Persebaya Surabaya, PSM Makassar or PSMS Medan. As the Perserikatan games became popular and televised from the 1980s, the other clubs proved to be more dominant with their stronger band of supporters.
Semi-professional years (1994-2008)
    
PSSI tried to combine the popular Perserikatan teams with the professional clubs from the Galatama league, which was struggling to attract a healthy-sized audience as the clubs did not attract primordial sentiments, into a league called Liga Indonesia. Persija, with a weak fanbase, continued its poor streak in the early years of Liga Indonesia until former army general Sutiyoso was appointed as governor of Jakarta in 1997 amid nationwide demonstrations that demanded the end of military-backed authoritarianism and the start of democratic elections at all levels.
Recognizing that he must win support to secure another term, Sutiyoso used Persija as an outreach vehicle. In 1997, Sutiyoso rebranded Persija with a different colour. Orange replaced red to stress Persija's tiger symbol while national players were recruited and more professional management was introduced. The governor also wielded his powers to motivate other Jakarta clubs in Liga Indonesia, including the once-successful Pelita Jaya FC, to leave the capital city. To augment the fanbase, the Jakmania supporter group was created in December 1997. The total makeover paid off with Persija winning the 2001 national title, a fanbase developing into the biggest in the country and Sutiyoso securing a second term in 2002. The flip side of this top-down approach is constant taunts from supporters of other clubs calling Persija as "anak papa" (papa's boy), which has become louder since Persija won its next national title in 2018.[11]
Professional years (2008-)
    
The emergence of the Indonesian Super League in 2008 came amid pressure on Perserikatan teams to stop relying on the state budget and increase professional management. Persija, with the ability to attract supporters, sponsors and quality players, evolved into a well-oiled machine that performed well in different forms of competitions in Indonesia. However, it failed to win a national title in these professional years until 2018 when it championed the 2018 Liga 1. While Jakmania turned the capital city orange after the crowning, supporters of other clubs mocked the victory as engineered so that Persija could finally end its 17-year drought. These naysayers argue that PSSI influenced several decisions during the season that unfairly benefitted Persija, including the goals scored in the 9 December 2018 game that sealed the title.[12]
Controversy aside, Persija is undeniably one of Indonesia's leading clubs with a fanbase that is now considered as the biggest in Asia, according to a December 2020 survey by the Asian Football Confederation. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Persija games could easily gather more than 50,000 people inside the stadium with thousands watching on public screens in neighbourhoods across the sprawling capital. Persija holds the record for highest attendance in a AFC Cup match when it faced with Johor Darul Ta'zim F.C. in 2018.[13]
Stadium
    

Persija currently plays their home matches at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (GBK) in Central Jakarta along with the Indonesian national football team.
Before settling at the large GBK, the club used smaller stadiums in Jakarta as their home ground. For the 2017 Liga 1 and much of the 2018 Liga 1, Persija had to relocate to nearby Bekasi and use the Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium or the Wibawa Mukti Stadium when the GBK stadium underwent renovation for the 2018 Asian Games and later used for the main venue of that multi-sports event.[14][15]
Current Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan in 2019 decided to build a new stadium for Persija in North Jakarta, which will be called the Jakarta International Stadium. The new stadium is targeted for completion by 2022.
However, there is also a campaign to rename the stadium after intellectual and national hero, Mohammad Husni Thamrin.[16][17][18][19]
Players
    
    Current squad
    
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
  | 
  | 
Note: The club policy lists the supporters as player number #12.
Naturalized player
    
| Country | Player | 
|---|---|
| Otávio Dutra | 
Coaching staff
    
| Position | Staff | 
|---|---|
| Head Coach | |
| Assistant Coach | Vacant | 
| Goalkeeper Coach | Vacant | 
| Fitness Coach | Vacant | 
| Team Doctor | Vacant | 
| Physiotherapist | Vacant | 
| Masseur | Vacant | 
| Kitman | 
Management
    
| Chief Executive Officer | |
| Financial Director | |
| Sporting Director | |
| Marketing Director | |
| Manager | |
| Assistant Manager | |
| Match Organizing Committee | |
| Club Secretary | Vacant | 
| Media Officer | |
| Ground (capacity and dimensions) | Gelora Bung Karno (76,127 / 105x68 metres) | 
| Training Ground | NYTC Sawangan | 
Kit Colours
    

Persija Jakarta's traditional colour is red, which is used for their home kit. Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso in 1997 replaced it with orange to make it in line with the tiger symbol during his rebranding drive of the club. After 19 years, Persija in 2016 decided to return to red after a long national title drought. The experiment worked as Persija championed the top-tier league in 2018. Frequently, the colour of their away jersey is white. But sometimes, players wear black in their away matches. Orange has been kept as the color of their third jersey.[22]
| Period | Kit Provider[23] | 
|---|---|
| 1970s–1990s | Adidas | 
| 1998–2000 | Reebok | 
| 2000–2003 | Nike | 
| 2004–2007 | Specs | 
| 2007–2009 | Diadora | 
| 2009–2017 | League | 
| 2018–2019 | Specs | 
| 2020– | Juara[24] | 
Supporters and rivalries
    
    Supporters
    
Persija Jakarta's supporters are called Jakmania. Founded in 1997 with orange colour as their identity, Jakmania is one of the biggest and loudest football fan groups in Indonesia. Persija's home matches could easily attract over 50,000 spectators before the COVID-19 pandemic that has led to the audience ban. They often travel to away matches, except for games against longtime rivals Persib Bandung and Persebaya Surabaya because of restrictions from the Indonesian Police in order to avoid clashes between supporter groups. A Persija supporter who dared to break the rule and travel to Bandung in September 2018 died after being beaten up by Persib Bandung fans.[25][26]
The Jakmania-created Persija anthem "Satu Jiwa" (One Soul) is always sung after a match.[27]
Rivalries
    
Persija's top rival is Persib Bandung from the West Java city of Bandung, 180 km away.[28] This derby is known as the oldest Indonesian Derby. The rivalry between the two teams has become violent in the 2000s due to the growth of ultras on each side. Influenced by some media and individuals who want the rivalry to be preserved, many hostile incidents involving the two support group have occurred with seven deaths so far. In 2014, a reconciliation was held by the West Java Police to avoid future clashes, resulting in restrictions against travelling supporters. However, fans continue to break the rule and end up in violent altercations.[29][30]
Persija also has rivalries with other former Perserikatan teams, especially PSM Makassar, Persebaya Surabaya and PSMS Medan.[31] [32][33]
Honours
    
Persija has won many titles, including from international tournaments, making the club as the most successful in Indonesia. Its last national title comes from the 2018 Liga 1.
| Domestic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| League/Division | Titles | Runners-up | Seasons won | Seasons runners-up | 
| Perserikatan | 9 | 4 | 1931 1933, 1934, 1938, 1953-54, 1964, 1971-73, 1973-75, 1978-79 | 1932, 1952, 1975-78, 1987-88 | 
| Liga Indonesia Premier Division / Liga 1 | 2 | 1 | 2001, 2018 | 2005 | 
| Domestic | ||||
| Cup Competitions | Titles | Runners-up | Seasons won | Seasons runners-up | 
| Piala Indonesia | 0 | 2 | 2005, 2018-19 | |
| Piala Presiden Soeharto[34] | 0 | 3 | 1972,[35] 1974,[36] 1976[37] | |
| Indonesia President's Cup | 1 | 0 | 2018 | |
| Menpora Cup | 1 | 0 | 2021 | |
| International | ||||
| Friendly Tournament | Titles | Runners-up | Seasons won | Seasons runners-up | 
| Quoc Khanh Cup | 1 | 0 | 1973 | |
| Brunei Invitational Cup[38] | 2 | 0 | 2000,[39] 2001[40] | |
Season-by-season records
    
    Past seasons
    
| Season | League/Division | Tms. | Pos. | Piala Indonesia | AFC competition(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | Premier Division | 34 | 13 in West Div. | – | – | – | 
| 1995–96 | Premier Division | 31 | 14 in West Div. | – | – | – | 
| 1996–97 | Premier Division | 33 | 10 in West Div. | – | – | – | 
| 1997–98 | Premier Division | 31 | Did not finish | – | – | – | 
| 1998–99 | Premier Division | 28 | Semifinals | – | – | – | 
| 1999–2000 | Premier Division | 28 | Semifinal | – | – | – | 
| 2001 | Premier Division | 28 | 1 | – | – | – | 
| 2002 | Premier Division | 24 | Second round | – | Asian Club Championship | First round | 
| 2003 | Premier Division | 20 | 7 | – | – | – | 
| 2004 | Premier Division | 18 | 3 | – | – | – | 
| 2005 | Premier Division | 28 | 2 | Runner up | – | – | 
| 2006 | Premier Division | 28 | Second round | Semifinals | – | – | 
| 2007–08 | Premier Division | 36 | Semifinals | 3rd Place | – | – | 
| 2008–09 | Super League | 18 | 7 | Quarter-finals | – | – | 
| 2009–10 | Super League | 18 | 5 | – | – | – | 
| 2010–11 | Super League | 18 | 3 | Quarter-finals | – | – | 
| 2011–12 | Super League | 18 | 5 | – | – | – | 
| 2013 | Super League | 18 | 11 | – | – | – | 
| 2014 | Super League | 22 | 5 in West Div. | – | – | – | 
| 2015 | Super League | 18 | Did not finish | – | – | – | 
| 2016 | Soccer Championship A | 18 | 14 | – | – | – | 
| 2017 | Liga 1 | 18 | 4 | – | – | – | 
| 2018 | Liga 1 | 18 | 1 | Runner up | AFC Cup | Zonal Semi-finals | 
| 2019 | Liga 1 | 18 | 10 | AFC Champions League AFC Cup  | 
Preliminary round 2 Group stage  | |
| 2020 | Liga 1 | 18 | Did not finish | – | – | – | 
| 2021–22 | Liga 1 | 18 | 8 | – | – | – | 
- Key
 
- Tms. = Number of teams
 - Pos. = Position in league
 
AFC (Asian competitions)
    
Continental record
    
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-02 | Asian Club Championship | First round | 4–1  | |||
| 2018 | AFC Cup | Group H | 4–0 | 3–0 | 1st | |
| 4–1 | 2–4 | |||||
| 1–0 | 0–0 | |||||
| Zonal semi-finals | 1–3 | 3–2 | 3–6 | |||
| 2019 | AFC Champions League | Preliminary round 1 | 1–3  | |||
| Preliminary round 2 | 3–1 (a.e.t.)   | |||||
| AFC Cup | Group G | 0–0 | 3–1 | 3rd | ||
| 6–1 | 1–3 | |||||
| 2–3 | 1–0 | |||||
AFC club ranking
    
- As of 2 January 2022.[41]
 
| Current Rank | Country | Team | Points | 
|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | Gyeongnam FC | 13.82 | |
| 67 | Consadole Sapporo | 13.78 | |
| 68 | Persija Jakarta | 13.75 | |
| 69 | Persipura Jayapura | 13.75 | |
| 70 | Melbourne City FC | 13.73 | |
Former Coaches
    
After becoming professional, Persija Jakarta has been trained by a combination of foreign and local coaches. Sofyan Hadi was the first head coach who won a professional national title for Persija Jakarta in 2001 when he was also playing for the team. Brazilian Antonio Claudio also was playing in and coaching the same team, but as a fitness coach. Another Brazilian, Stefano Cugurra, led Persija to the 2018 national title.[42]
| Years | Name | 
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | |
| 2001 | |
| 2003 | |
| 2004 | |
| 2005–2006 | |
| 2006–2007 | |
| 2007–2008 | |
| 2008–2009 | |
| 2009–2010 | |
| 2010–2011 | |
| 2011–2012 | |
| 2013–2014 | |
| 2014–2015 | |
| 2015–2016 | |
| 2016 | |
| 2016 | |
| 2017–2018 | |
| 2019 | |
| 2019 | |
| 2019 | |
| 2020 | |
| 2020–2021 | |
| 2021–2022 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2022– | 
Notable former players
    
This is the list of several domestic and foreign former notable or famous players of Persija from time to time.
Indonesia
    
 Soetjipto Soentoro
 Tan Liong Houw
 Sutan Harhara
 Rully Nere
 Dede Sulaiman
 Rahmad Darmawan
 Widodo Cahyono Putro
 Anang Ma'ruf
 Budiman Yunus
 Imran Nahumarury
 Francis Wawengkang
 Hendro Kartiko
 Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto
 Charis Yulianto
 Elie Aiboy
 Budi Sudarsono
 Aples Gideon Tecuari
 Hamka Hamzah
 Ortizan Solossa
 Atep Rizal
 Muhammad Ilham
 Aliyudin
 Agus Indra Kurniawan
 Rochy Putiray
 Nur'alim
 Anjas Asmara
 Anindito Wahyu
 
 Beto Gonçalves
 
 Osas Saha
 Adam Alis
 Gendut Doni Christiawan
 Alexander Pulalo
 Muhammad Roby
 Leo Saputra
 
 Greg Nwokolo
 
 
 Addison Alves
 Firman Utina
 Ponaryo Astaman
 Amarzukih
 
 Stefano Lilipaly
 
 Raphael Maitimo
 Farri Agri
 Bambang Pamungkas
 Gunawan Dwi Cahyo
 
 Silvio Escobar
 Fitra Ridwan
 Valentino Telaubun
 Michael Orah
 Talaohu Musafri
 Leonard Tupamahu
 Alfin Tuasalamony
 Maman Abdurahman
 Dany Saputra
 
 Nol van der Vin
 Samosir Tamani
 Fahreza Agamal
 Defri Rizky
 Fariz Nur Hisyam
 Mulky Alifa Hakim
 
 Marc Klok
 Evan Dimas
 Novri Setiawan
 Ichsan Kurniawan
 Ahmad Bustomi
 Adixi Lenzivio
 Salman Alfarid
 Iman Faturohman
 Ikhwan Ciptady
 Yoewanto Setya Beny
 Hadi Ardiansyah
 Shahar Ginanjar
Asia
    
Africa
    
 Roger Batoum
 Abanda Herman
 Emaleu Serge
 Louis Berty Ayock
 Olinga Atangana
 Pierre Njanka
 Eric Bayemi
 
 Emmanuel Kenmogne
 Mbeng Jean Mambalou
 Boakay Eddie Foday
 Olivier Makor
 Frank Jean Seator
 Chinedum Antoni
 Sam Ayorinde
 Vata Matanu Garcia
 
 Alex Brown
Europe
    
America
    
 Antonio Claudio
 Lorenzo Cabanas
 Ronald Fagundez
 Emanuel De Porras
 Gustavo Hernan Ortiz
 Robertino Pugliara
 Luciano Leandro
 Javier Rocha
 Gustavo Chena
 Pedro Velázquez
 
 Fabiano Beltrame
 Renan Silva
 Willian Pacheco
 Jaimerson Xavier
 Bruno da Silva Lopes
 Luiz Júnior
 Ivan Carlos
 Rodrigo Tosi
 Bruno Oliveira de Matos
 
 Xandão
 Adolfo Fatecha
 Diego Caneza
 Yann Motta
Further reading
    
    
References
    
- "Ketahui Sejarah Persija, Sebelum Nonton Pertandingannya di Liga 1". www.loket.com. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
 - "E-Booking Stadion Utama Gelora Bung Karno". gbk.id. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
 -  Sulistiyo presiden-direktur-chief-executive-officer "BOARD OF DIRECTORS: AGUS SULISTIYO PRESIDENT DIRECTOR & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER". bakrieland.com. Retrieved 2 February 2020. 
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - "Digantikan Mohamad Prapanca, Ferry Paulus Tidak Lagi Menjabat Presiden Persija". Bola.com. 17 January 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
 - "Perserikatan era under PSSI". rsssf.com. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
 - "History of PSSI". pssi.or.id. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
 - "7 Suporter Tewas di Balik Laga Persib Vs Persija, Bobotoh dan JakMania Harus Belajar Halaman all". 25 September 2018.
 - "Tentang Persija".
 - "Mengurai sejarah Persija Jakarta". juara.bolasport.com. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
 - "Tentang Persija".
 - "Epos Persija Jakarta: Sutiyoso Bapak Evolusi Macan Kemayoran".
 - "2 Gol Penentu Persija Juara Dinilai Kontroversial". 17 December 2018.
 - "The search for Asia's Most Popular Football Club: Persija Jakarta, Johor Darul Ta'zim advance to final | Football | News |".
 - Liputan6.com. "Persija Berbagi Kandang dengan Bhayangkara FC". liputan6.com. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
 - "Nah! Sudah Deal, Ini Kandang Persiwa untuk Musim 2017". jpnn.com. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
 - "Pemprov DKI Bisa Bangun Stadion Kelas Dunia untuk Persija" (in Indonesian). Retrieved 6 December 2014.
 - "Pembangunan Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) Lebih Cepat dari Jadwal" (in Indonesian). Retrieved 19 December 2019.
 - "Nama M.H. Thamrin Diusulkan Menjadi Nama Stadion" (in Indonesian). 3 September 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
 - "Anies Serius Bangun Jakarta International Stadium, Desainnya Mulai Terungkap".
 - "Squad Persija Jakarta Liga 1 2021-2022". ligaindonesiabaru.com. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
 - Daftar pemain tim Persija Jakarta. persija.id
 - "Persija is Red". olahraga.kompasiana.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
 - "Jersey Persija". Ismeders14. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
 - "Tanggalkan Specs, Persija Berganti Jersey ke Juara". m.detik.com. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
 - "Ini Daftar Suporter Persib dan Persija yang Tewas sejak 2012". 23 September 2018.
 - "Sejarah Terbentuknya Jak Mania". Ultras in Indonesia. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
 - Wara, Jalad (17 September 2018). "Lirik Anthem Persija Jakarta: Persija Menyatukan Kita Semua". KAMPIUN.ID. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
 - "P.S.S.I. (inlandsche) Stedenwedstrijden 1930-1950". Retrieved 11 October 2014.
 - "Suporter Persib-Persija Berikrar Damai, Polisi Akan Terus Evaluasi". Retrieved 13 October 2014.
 - "Ini Daftar Suporter Persib dan Persija yang Tewas sejak 2012". 23 September 2018.
 - "Bersaing Sejak Era Perserikatan, Laga PSM versus Persija Ibarat El Clasico". Tribun Timur (in Indonesian). Retrieved 7 February 2020.
 - Bola.com (28 August 2019). "3 Duel Penting Persija Vs PSM: Rivalitas Tak Berujung Eks Juara Perserikatan". bola.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 7 February 2020.
 - Independent, Jambi. "Rekor Pertemuan PSMS vs Persija: Sejarah Panas Sejak Era Perserikatan". JAMBIINDEPENDENT.COM. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
 - "Piala Presiden Soeharto". www.rsssf.com.
 - "Piala Presiden Soeharto". www.rsssf.com.
 - "Piala Presiden Soeharto". www.rsssf.com.
 - "Piala Presiden Soeharto". www.rsssf.com.
 - "Brunei Invitational Cup". www.rsssf.com.
 - "Toyota League Champions Invitational Cup (Brunei) 2000". www.rsssf.com.
 - "Brunei Invitational Cup (Brunei) 2001". www.rsssf.com.
 - "AFC Club Ranking". Retrieved 5 January 2022.
 - "Sofyan Hadi" (in Indonesian). Retrieved 13 November 2017.
 - "Liga Indonesia: Persija vs Persib". Perpusnas.go.id.
 
