JawaPos.com — Behind the sparkling spotlight on the pitch of the Dutch League or Eredivisie, there is an interesting story that is worth telling. The story of a talented young player who is struggling in the U-23 Asian Cup to qualify for the 2024 Olympics, Nathan Noel Tjoe-A-On, who has made his name in the world of European football.
However, what makes his story so special is his pride in his Indonesian heritage and his deep love for the legendary club, Persebaya Surabaya.
Nathan Tjoe-A-On, born in Rotterdam on December 22 2001, has made his mark as one of the main players for the Excelsior Rotterdam team in the Eredivisie. However, long before entering the international stage, Nathan had carried his passion for the game into amateur clubs such as CKC En and VV Nieuwerkerk since the age of 4.
Nathan’s career journey has never been free from struggle and dedication. At a very young age, Nathan has made his way to the Excelsior Rotterdam first team. The decision to play the role of left back was due to tactical considerations from the coaching team who saw his potential in that position.
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Not only does he play a role as a left back, Nathan is also known for his strengths in holding the ball and accurate crossing. This was proven when he won the Eredivisie Player of the Month award in September, ahead of top players from big clubs such as Ajax and FC Utrecht.
However, despite his success and fame on the European football scene, Nathan remains true to his roots. With pride, he revealed that Indonesian blood flows within him, especially from the Semarang, Central Java lineage. His closeness to Indonesian culture cannot be separated from his love for typical Indonesian food, especially rendang, as well as his support for Persebaya Surabaya.
Persebaya Surabaya, a legendary football club with a fanatical supporter base, has stolen Nathan’s heart. Even though they play in leagues on different continents, Persebaya’s existence will never last in his memory. In fact, when asked to choose the Indonesian club he wanted to play for in the future, Nathan did not hesitate to name Persebaya as his choice.
Nathan’s interest in Persebaya cannot be separated from the influence of his former colleague, Arsenio Valpoort, who once played for the club. Through information from Valpoort and searches on social media, Nathan became increasingly fascinated by the madness of Persebaya supporters and the greatness of the club.
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However, Nathan’s story is not over in the Eredivisie. Even though he just received an official call from the Indonesian National Team for the 2026 World Cup Qualification and U-23 Asian Cup, Nathan showed his readiness and responsibility in defending the Indonesian National Team. For him, being part of the Indonesian National Team will be a great honor.
Behind his love for football, Nathan also conveyed a message of concern for the Kanjuruhan tragedy which rocked Indonesian football. He expressed his sympathy to the victim’s family and expressed his hope that such a tragedy would not be repeated in the future.
Nathan also expressed his appreciation for the Indonesian football supporters who were so enthusiastic and supportive. With great hope, he advised Indonesian football to continue to develop and show better performance in the future.
As a young player who still has a lot of potential, Nathan has big ambitions to develop and play in high-level competitions in Europe, maybe even in countries like England, Spain, Italy or Germany. However, he still opened the door to playing in Indonesia one day, especially with his idol club, Persebaya Surabaya.