IN a humble home in Sorong, West Papua, a young boy named Ricky Ricardo Kambuaya grew up with big dreams. His mother was a night market vendor, while his father worked as a civil servant. It was in this modest environment that Ricky first fell in love with football, playing on small neighborhood fields with his friends, never imagining that one day, he would wear the Indonesian national team jersey.
His parents named him "Ricky Ricardo" with great hope.
I was named Ricky Ricardo after a Latin footballer. My parents believed I would become a football player.
That dream slowly took shape as he started playing futsal before transitioning to football. At that time, there were no football academies in Sorong, only small village teams where he honed his skills.
His first big opportunity came through an open selection for the Papua Barat PON team. Ricky made the cut and represented his region, but after the tournament, no offers came. He found himself at a standstill, but he refused to give up.
I had to find a club on my own, so I went to Mojokerto because I had a connection there. I joined an open selection, and that was my first step into professional football.
His career started to take off. From PS Mojokerto Putra, he moved to PSS Sleman, then Persebaya Surabaya, before donning the Persib Bandung jersey, and now playing for Dewa United FC. At every stage, he never forgot the people who inspired him back home.
The biggest influence came from my friends in the village, the kids in Papua, and of course, Kaka Boaz Solossa, he was our role model as young footballers.
The year 2021 became a turning point in his life. Shin Tae-yong, the head coach of the Indonesian national team, called him up, something he had never dared to dream of.
Coach Shin is known for being strict and disciplined. I think that's crucial, especially for us football players. He always emphasized determination, perseverance, and hard work.
He repaid that trust with an outstanding performance. On December 19, 2021, he scored his first goal for the national team in a 4-1 victory against Malaysia in the AFF Cup. That moment proved that all his hard work had not been in vain.
Now, Ricky is not just enjoying his achievements; he is setting even bigger goals.
From the beginning until now, my dream has always been to be the best. With the national team, I want to help Indonesia improve its FIFA ranking and even qualify for the World Cup.
Having started from the bottom, Ricky hopes his journey will inspire young Indonesian footballers.
Never give up. Keep fighting. Even if you fail, keep trying, your time will come. I never expected to get a national team call-up. If I had given up back then, just playing in the village, I wouldn't be where I am today.
From a market vendor’s son to a key player in the Garuda squad, Ricky Kambuaya has shown that no dream is too big if pursued with hard work and belief. Now, he carries the hopes of millions of Indonesians, eager to see Garuda soar higher on the global stage.
