Sumbawanews.com,- Pada 27 Juli 2026, di Stadion Pakansari, Bogor, striker berusia 19 tahun Mitchell Baker membuat debut luar biasa bersama Timnas Indonesia dengan mencetak tiga gol dalam kemenangan 5-1 atas Kamboja di laga Grup A Piala AFF 2026. Pemain kelahiran Melbourne, Australia, pada 11 Desember 2006, yang baru resmi menjadi Warga Negara Indonesia pada 13 Juli 2026, langsung membuktikan kualitasnya dengan memborong gol di menit ke-23, ke-56, dan ke-78. Kemenangan ini menjadi awal dari perjalanan impresifnya di turnamen tersebut, yang berakhir dengan gelar juara FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.
Baker’s rise to the national team began not through traditional scouting, but through grassroots social media campaigns. In 2023, while still in high school, he was contacted by the Indonesian fan account Indoblood, which shared clips of his play. Supporters then began tagging Indonesian coaching staff, urging them to consider him for youth national team selection. A year later, Baker took matters into his own hands—reaching out to multiple Indonesian football media accounts to push for an opportunity. His persistence paid off in April 2026, when he emailed head coach John Herdman directly, leading to an invitation to a training camp in May 2026.
At the time, Baker was preparing to begin an internship on Wall Street after completing his exams at Georgetown University. But the call from the Indonesian Football Association changed everything. With only four days’ notice, he boarded a flight to Indonesia instead, beginning the naturalization process that culminated in his official citizenship on 13 July 2026.
Just two weeks after becoming a WNI, Baker made his senior debut against Cambodia and delivered a historic hat-trick. His performance didn’t stop there. In his third appearance for the national team, he scored five goals in Indonesia’s 9-2 victory over Bangladesh during the same tournament, helping the team clinch the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 title. Over four appearances in the competition, Baker’s goals were pivotal in securing Indonesia’s triumph.
“Rasanya seperti tidak nyata. Saya selalu percaya bahwa kita harus proaktif dan memanfaatkan peluang sebaik mungkin ketika kesempatan itu datang,” ujar Baker. Dari media sosial hingga trofi internasional, kisahnya adalah bukti bahwa tekad dan inisiatif bisa mengubah takdir—bahkan di luar benua kelahiran.
