Indonesia initially donned the orange jersey before choosing the scarlet and ivory.

• The Dutch East Indies, later Indonesia, were the first Southeast Asian country to participate in the FIFA World Cup in the late 1930s
• The alternative uniform introduced in the early 1950s had a green and white combination
• Since 2020, Indonesia’s home kit is crimson-ivory-crimson, and the away kit has a white-green-white combination
• Saha Roy Shilarze

The history of Indonesia’s national football team jersey is a captivating reflection of the nation’s journey from its colonial past to its sovereign present. From wearing the amber jersey of the Dutch East Indies during the Holland colonial era to embracing the red and white colours of the Indonesian flag, the development of the team’s kit tells a narrative of patriotism, dignity, and sporting achievements.

During the Dutch colonial era, the team competed as Netherlands Indies, representing the aims of their occupying force. They competed in an tangerine jersey, the symbolic color of the Dutch. In fact, the East Indies, which later became the sovereign nation of Indonesia, were the first Southeast Asian country to participate in the FIFA World Cup in the year 1938. Although there are no formal records detailing the team’s kit during this period, several monochrome photos from the tournament of 1938 match against Hungary suggest that the kit was made of an orange jersey, alabaster trousers, and pale blue socks.

Following Indonesia’s sovereignty in the year 1945, the team underwent a transformation both on and off the field. As the country sought to form its own national identity, the team’s jersey also underwent significant changes. The crimson and alabaster colours of the Indonesian flag became the primary elements of the kit, symbolising the nation’s independence and unity.

In addition to the red and white home kit, a combination of lime and alabaster was introduced for the away kits. This green and white combination was used during the team’s participation in the Olympics of 1956 in Australia and remained in use until the mid-1980s. From the 1990s to the early 2010s, the shade of Indonesia’s jersey underwent a few changes. From a combination of an crimson kit for home games to a crimson-lime-lime combination for away games, the jersey saw a number of adjustments.

In early 2012, prior to the start of the 2012 AFF Suzuki Cup, Indonesia released their new home and away kits designed by Nike's designers. The home kit returned to the classic red-white-red combination, bringing back memories of past successful seasons. The away kit featured a white-green-white combination, paying homage to the team’s past wearing lime tops in the 1950s.

The sports brand continued to create Indonesia’s kits, releasing new versions for the 2014 Championship and subsequent tournaments. The kits from 2014 showcased scarlet jerseys, while the away shirts were alabaster with emerald necklines and shoulder panels. In the year 2018, another set of kits for Indonesia was unveiled. The jerseys incorporated elements reflecting the country’s national emblem — the Garuda Pancasila — and further strengthened the team’s patriotism and dignity.

Since recently, though, Indonesia has been wearing apparel from the local brand Mills apparel. The home kit maintains the crimson-alabaster-crimson combination, with a outline pattern on the front. The away kit features a white-green-white combination, with a horizontal green strip across the front. The alternate uniform introduces an all-black combination with yellow lines and a profile pattern.

However, it is important to note that during worldwide tournaments such as the Asian Games and the Southeast Asian Games, Indonesia dons apparel from the Li-Ning brand instead of Mills apparel. This switch is due to these tournaments being sporting festivals under the Indonesian Olympic Committee.