List of Strange Nicknames for the Indonesian National Team Players, from 'El Nyengir' to 'Mr. Luku-Luku'

Kapanlagi.com - Indonesian football supporters are known for their creativity in supporting their favorite team. One unique form of support is the giving of funny and unique nicknames to the players of the Indonesian National Team, which makes the atmosphere even more festive and draws attention.

With the increasing number of naturalized players joining the Garuda Squad to strengthen the team in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, this trend of giving nicknames has continued to grow. Players like Mees Hilgers and Rizky Ridho are also not exempt from this phenomenon.

1. Indonesian National Team and Nickname Traditions

credit: https://www.instagram.com/timnasindonesia/

The Indonesian National Team and the Phenomenon of Unique Nicknames Giving nicknames to players of the Indonesian National Team is not a new thing. Since the era of legendary players like Abdul Kadir who was nicknamed "Si Kancil", this tradition has continued into the modern era. Now, almost every player has a nickname, whether from the media, teammates, or netizens on social media.

One of the latest examples is the interaction between Mees Hilgers and Rizky Ridho on Instagram, where Hilgers received the nickname "El Nyengir" from Ridho. "El Nyengir," wrote Ridho in his comment reply, which elicited laughter from netizens.

2. Nicknames of National Team Players in the Modern Era

credit: https://www.instagram.com/rizkyridhoramadhani/

The list of current player nicknames shows a high level of creativity from supporters. Some popular nickname examples include:

• Ernando Ari 'Nando Martinez'
• Jay Idzes 'Bang Jayadi'
• Muhammad Ferarri 'Pak Polisi'
• Jordi Amat 'Prince Amat'
• Justin Hubner 'Preman'
• Rizky Ridho 'Anak Baik'
• Pratama Arhan 'El Bucino, Lempar Lembing'
• Nathan Tjoe-A-On 'Bang Tejo'
• Thom Haye 'Prof Toha'
• Ragnar Oratmangoen 'Wak Haji'
• Egy Maulana Vikri 'Kelok Sembilan'
• Rafael Struick 'El Klemer'
• Witan Sulaeman 'Baby Shark'
• Wahyu Prasetyo 'Hulk'
• Calvin Verdonk 'Loopy'
• Hokky Caraka 'El PNS Jateng'
• Sandy Walsh 'Es Krim'
• Maarten Paes 'Mr. Luku-Luku'
• Mees Hilgers 'El Nyengir'

These nicknames demonstrate how close the interaction is between players and supporters, while also strengthening their image in the eyes of the public.

3. Why Do Players Get Nicknames?

These nicknames usually arise due to certain characteristics of the players, such as their playing style, behavior on the field, or simply jokes among fans. For example, Witan Sulaeman, who is nicknamed Baby Shark, may have earned this because of his tireless energy on the field.

4. Why did Rizky Ridho give the nickname 'El Nyengir' to Mees Hilgers?

The nickname came from an interaction on social media where Rizky Ridho casually gave the nickname to Mees Hilgers on Instagram.

5. Who are the Indonesian national team players with unique nicknames?

Some of them are Ernando Ari (Nando Martinez), Ragnar Oratmangoen (Wak Haji), and Egy Maulana Vikri (Kelok Sembilan).

What do KLOvers think about this? Come on, write in the comments! If not now, when?

(kpl/vna)