MOTIVASI PEMERINTAH INDONESIA DALAM NATURALISASI ATLET TIM NASIONAL SEPAKBOLA INDONESIA

This study explains the Indonesian government's motivation in using naturalization policies for football players for the national team. The phenomenon of naturalization in Indonesia has emerged as a quick strategy to improve the national team's performance amid limitations in developing local talent, infrastructure, and the mentality of domestic league players. This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach and employs the ontological security theory as its analytical framework. The concepts of shame and discontinuity are used to explain how the government's fear of public judgement and concerns about national identity influence naturalization policies. The findings indicate that naturalization is not only a quick-fix solution for short-term performance improvement but also plays a role in the project of shaping Indonesian football identity as a symbol of national pride. These findings are expected to contribute theoretically to the development of ontological security studies in international relations and serve as practical considerations for the government in formulating future naturalization policies for athletes.