Calvin Verdonk Set to Make Indonesian Champions League History

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia could see its first officially Indonesian Champions League player, with French club Lille saying defender Calvin Verdonk is set to make history in the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League (UCL).

"Indonesia's first footballer to appear in the UCL league phase. History," Lille wrote in a social media post on Monday, August 17, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Verdonk officially joined the French club in September 2025. The 29-year-old defender subsequently became an important part of Lille's campaign as the club finished third in the 2025/26 Ligue 1 season.

The result secured Lille direct qualification for the league phase of the 2026/27 Champions League, giving Verdonk an opportunity to make history with the club.

During the 2025/26 season, Verdonk made 18 Ligue 1 appearances, playing a total of 786 minutes. He was among the players who helped Lille secure a place in Europe's elite club competition.

However, Verdonk is not the first Indonesian player to have appeared in the Champions League. Kevin Diks and Emil Audero have previously experienced the competition.

The difference is that Diks and Audero had not yet held Indonesian citizenship when they played in the Champions League. Diks represented FC Copenhagen in the UCL group stage during the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons.

In the 2022/23 season, FC Copenhagen failed to advance from the group stage. A year later, Diks helped the Danish club reach the round of 16 before they were eliminated by Manchester City 6-2 on aggregate.

Meanwhile, Audero played for Inter Milan in the 2023/24 Champions League group stage. The goalkeeper played the full 90 minutes when Inter drew 3-3 with Benfica in Group D.

Inter subsequently advanced to the round of 16, but Audero did not make another appearance as he spent most of the campaign on the bench.

Audero still has a chance to return to the Champions League in the 2026/27 season with Como. However, his opportunity depends on his situation until the summer transfer window closes, including the possibility of being loaned out or transferred to another club.

If he plays for Lille in the 2026/27 Champions League league phase, Verdonk will make history as the first player to appear in the main phase of the competition while already holding Indonesian citizenship. ***