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Fabregas Praises Merah Putih in Indonesia Visit
Wimbo Satwiko | June 22, 2011

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Cesc Fabregas’s main objective in his visit to Indonesia may be to fulfill some commercial obligations, but it hasn’t stopped the Arsenal captain from sharing his thoughts on the national football team.

Fabregas is in the country to promote an under-14 football competition in Bali.

He arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday, and was warmly received by fans and the media at a news conference held at Shangri-la Hotel on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Spain midfielder is the pitchman for biscuit brand Biskuat. He and Indonesia striker Bambang Pamungkas will hold a 10-day training camp for the winner of the Biskuat Tiger Cup.

“The children are the future of football. They’re very important because they’re the ones who will play the game and entertain fans when I’m retired,” Fabregas said on Wednesday. “As a kid I always wanted to play football. To be with them and enjoy time with them is a great honor.”

When the topic during the news conference shifted toward Indonesian football, Fabregas revealed that he had watched the Merah Putih play at the 2010 Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup. He said he liked what he had seen.

“I think Indonesia has a bright future. I found out that Indonesia played few months ago and I watched the game,” he said.

“I think it was good as it was the first time I saw them play. I liked the way they played in terms of their energy. They put energy and enthusiasm into the game, they respected their opponents, they dribbled and passed well.”

Indonesia placed runner-up at the Suzuki Cup, extending its title drought in the tournament.

Fabregas said he understood that the country was growing impatient for international glory, but it shouldn’t lose hope.

“At the moment you have to be realistic. You have to take one step at a time and not to jump too far,” he said.

“Even Spain never won the European Championship and the World Cup before. It only shows that things like this take time. You need to stay confident in what you do.”

The Biskuat Tiger Cup 2011 opened on May 28 in six cities — Medan, Jakarta, Bandung, Solo, Surabaya and Makassar. The top six teams moved to the finals in Bali earlier this week, while the grand final is set today.