The AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022 continues to gather momentum ahead of the upcoming tournament in December and January as it reaches its next port of call on November 26: the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

Garuda stars Ilham Jaya Kesuma and Budi Sudarsono, along with VIPS and officials from the title sponsor Mitsubishi Electric, will be present at the free-to-attend event at Lippo Mall Puri in Jakarta, Indonesia.

And to mark the occasion, we’re looking back at some of the star performers for Indonesia from through the years who have helped their nation reach an impressive six AFF Championship finals.

Below are five players who have shone for the Merah Putih and we’re asking you, the fans, to vote for your favourite to be in with a chance of winning one of five signed Indonesia jerseys.

To enter the competition, make sure to create an account after placing your vote.

Pamungkas goes on a goalscoring spree

Bambang Pamungkas had to wait to stamp his mark on the AFF Championship as his involvement in the 2000 edition was limited by his loan move to Dutch club EHS Norad. But he more than made up for it two years later when he guided Indonesia to their second consecutive final, netting eight goals and claiming the Golden Boot.

Co-hosts Indonesia’s campaign only really got going in their second group game when Bepe, as he is affectionately known, produced a 22-minute hat-trick to down Cambodia 4-2. The Persija Jakarta frontman then scored four times in a resounding 13-1 win over the Philippines to script AFF Championship history.

The huge victory remains the biggest ever recorded in the competition, but his most important contribution of 2002 came in the semi-final against Malaysia as he scored the only goal of the game to send Indonesia into the final where they fell to a narrow defeat to Thailand despite Pamungkas converting in the penalty shootout.

He made three more appearances in the tournament in 2007, 2008 and 2010 – the latter in which he scored two late goals to down Thailand 2-1 in the group stage and proved to be a menace from the bench in the Garuda’s runners-up finish. His overall tally of 12 goals makes him one of the leading scorers of the AFF Championship and cements his legendary status among Indonesian supporters.

Firman puts on a midfield masterclass

Firman Utina's best showing in the AFF Championship came in 2010 when he dictated terms from the midfield and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player as he captained Indonesia to the final. The 28-year-old was at the top of his game from the get-go as he assisted Cristian Gonzales in the Garuda’s huge 5-1 win against Malaysia in their group stage opener.

Firman then scored twice as Indonesia recorded a 6-0 win over Laos in their next outing to reach the knockouts. With his vision and dangerous set-piece deliveries, he continued to create problems for the opposition in the semi-final as Indonesia posted a 2-0 aggregate win over the Philippines.

The final saw Malaysia take a 3-0 lead in the first leg in Kuala Lumpur and Indonesia once again ended up as the losing side despite conjuring up a 2-1 win in the return leg. Firman had a mixed evening in Jakarta, missing an early penalty with the score still goalless, but despite that blip, was dangerous with the ball and rallied his troops in Indonesia's valiant attempt to force a comeback.

This was the second final where Firman had ended up on the losing side having been part of the team that lost the 2004 showpiece. He also was a part of the Indonesia squad in the 2008 and 2014 editions of the Southeast Asian tournament, captaining his country again in the latter.

Kurniawan sparks an unlikely comeback

Twenty-year-old Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto took just 17 minutes to get off the mark in the inaugural AFF Championship in 1996, scoring in a 5-1 win over Laos in Indonesia's opener before he netted against Cambodia and Vietnam to guide Indonesia to the knockouts where they lost to Malaysia.

Two years later, Kurniawan only scored once, in the 3-3 third-place playoff against Thailand as Indonesia eventually won on penalties. In 2000, Kurniawan netted thrice, including a brace against Myanmar, and he would play a pivotal role as the Garuda reached their first ASEAN final, only to lose to hosts Thailand. But the former FC Luzern striker was saving the best for his last.

After missing the 2002 tournament, 'Kurus' was at the peak of his powers in 2004. The 28-year-old scored in Indonesia’s 6-0 win over Laos before a brace in an 8-0 defeat of Cambodia. In the semi-final first leg, visiting Malaysia won 2-1 despite Kurniawan opening the scoring.

Malaysia broke the deadlock in the second leg, but Kurniawan’s introduction from the bench changed Indonesia’s fortunes. The striker scored from a defensive error sparking an Indonesia fightback that ended in a 5-3 aggregate win. However, Kurniawan’s relationship with the AFF Championship ended without him lifting the trophy – despite him scoring 13 times over four editions – as the Garuda once again fell in the final, this time to Singapore. 

Boaz’s flair lights up the ASEAN showpiece

In an international career spanning 15 years, Boaz Solossa appeared in three AFF Championships, guiding Indonesia to the final on two occasions. He became one of the youngest Indonesians to play in the tournament with a memorable debut in 2004 when the 18-year-old striker took only 25 minutes to open his account by giving the Garuda a 1-0 lead against Laos.

Awing the crowd with his pace and trickery, Boaz then netted from a tight angle for his second as Indonesia posted a 6-0 win. The Garuda then recovered from a 2-1 first-leg deficit to lead 4-3 against Malaysia in the semi-final second leg when Boaz produced a moment of magic – turning the defender with his first touch before side-stepping the goalkeeper and scoring his fourth of the tournament.

Indonesia fell in the final for the third edition running in 2004 as they were beaten 5-2 by Singapore. It took Boaz 10 years for his second appearance only to see Indonesia exit the group; however, a 30-year-old Boaz returned in 2016 to lead his country with a display reminiscent of his exploits as a teenager, scoring twice in the group stage as Indonesia reached the semi-final.  

The Persipura Jayapura legend scored the winner from the spot against Vietnam in the semi-final first leg as Indonesia reached the final with a 4-3 aggregate win. But Boaz’s hopes of leading his nation to ASEAN glory fell short as Thailand edged them 3-2 on aggregate in the final.

Pratama shows promise in debut campaign

At 20, Pratama Arhan has already shown enough to prove he is a superstar in the making. The gifted defender may yet to have achieved legendary status like the other names on the list, but his youthful brilliance at the 2020 edition earned him GOAL NXGN Award for Young Player of the Tournament.

Part of a talented squad that included Egy Maulana, Witan Sulaeman and Asnawi Mangkualam, Pratama, now with Japanese second-tier side Tokyo Verdy, guided Shin Tae-yong’s side to the final, scoring twice and assisting twice. The left-back assisted captain Evan Dimas to score the team’s second before his pinpoint corner was glanced into the goal by Rachmat Irianto as Indonesia beat Laos 4-0 in the group stage.

Pratama’s marauding runs have become a feature of the recent Garuda side and it was from one such foray in the first half that Irfan Jaya found his second to give Indonesia a 2-1 lead against Malaysia in their final group fixture. He then added his name to the scoresheet with a left-footed pile-driver as Indonesia emerged as group winners with a 4-1 win.

The defender then came to Indonesia’s rescue against Singapore in the semi-final second leg. With Indonesia on the brink of exiting, Pratama held his nerve to score in the 87th minute to take the game to extra time from where Indonesia progressed to the final. The final again proved futile for Indonesia as they lost to Thailand, but the rise of Pratama and his teammates signaled a new dawn for Indonesian football.

WIN A INDONESIA JERSEY SIGNED BY THE LEGENDS!

We are giving out 5 signed jerseys to 5 lucky winners. Cast your vote above and create an account with us in order to be eligible to win one of the signed jerseys. The 5 lucky winners will be contacted through email on the 25th of November (5pm Indonesia Time). Winners will be asked to claim their prize at the Indonesia Trophy Tour location on 26 October from 2pm - 5pm.

Eligibility: Contest only available for fans in Indonesia.

Indonesia Trophy Tour address: Lippo Mall Puri in Jakarta, Indonesia

Good luck to all contestants!