Player Naturalization and Indonesia’s Sport Diplomacy: Building National Image

Abstract

Sport diplomacy has become an increasingly significant instrument through which states seek to strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations while projecting a favorable international image. This article examines player naturalization in Indonesian football as a case of sport diplomacy in practice, focusing on the naturalization of players for the national team and its broader implications for Indonesia's international image. Employing a qualitative, literature-based approach informed by soft power theory and the concept of sport diplomacy, the article argues that naturalization does not automatically constitute diplomacy; rather, its diplomatic value emerges when improved sporting competitiveness is translated into international visibility, public engagement, cultural representation, and diplomatic interaction. The analysis traces this mechanism through Indonesia's multitrack diplomacy, comprising government institutions, football associations, and public communication, showing how naturalization simultaneously produces diplomatic gains and domestic tensions concerning national identity, local player development, and policy sustainability. The findings suggest that naturalization functions most effectively as sport diplomacy when it is embedded within a coordinated and sustainable national strategy rather than treated as an isolated recruitment policy aimed at short-term competitive success.