In the world of Indonesian football, the name Patrich Wanggai is not only known as a sharp striker but also as a figure who represents the struggles and valuable lessons learned from a colorful career.
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Born in Nabire on June 27, 1988, Patrich began his football journey from Papua. His long journey led him through various clubs in Indonesia and ultimately to being part of Indonesia's national team history. However, behind all his achievements, there is one thing that Patrich regrets: his tendency to settle too quickly, which prevented him from reaching his full potential.
However, behind these brilliant achievements, there is one moment in his career that cannot be forgotten, the decision to stop fully committing to training after early success. Patrich admitted this to Telecom Asia Sport.
It was my own fault, when others were pushing to train more, I didn't. That’s my biggest regret.
This decision became the turning point where his vast potential as an Indonesian player was not fully realized.
Patrich, who was once seen as a potential successor to Bambang Pamungkas and possibly the best striker for Indonesia's national team after the era of big-name players, ended up feeling a sense of emptiness in his career. For him, although talent and ability were sufficient, the satisfaction with early achievements led him to lose direction in training harder.
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The passion for playing football didn’t go away, but I was too satisfied and didn’t feel the need to keep training, too much relaxing. That’s my biggest regret.
In fact, if he had continued training and maintained his motivation, Patrich believes he could have gone even further.
I’m sure if I kept at it, maybe even now I could still be playing for the national team.
However, in reality, the mentality of being easily satisfied became his biggest obstacle to achieving further success.
Patrich’s career began at Persewon Wondama in 2007 before moving to Perseman Manokwari. However, Patrich's name truly rose when he played for Persidafon Dafonsoro from 2009 to 2012. It was here that his sharpness became evident, scoring 40 goals in 68 matches, which propelled him to a higher level with Persipura Jayapura.
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Show more newsPatrich reached the peak of his career when he helped Persipura win the 2013 Indonesia Super League title. His brilliance in the attacking line earned him a call-up to Indonesia’s national team. One of the most memorable moments came at the 2011 SEA Games, where Patrich was a key figure in helping the U-23 national team win the silver medal.
His ambition didn’t stop there. In 2014, Patrich sought his fortune abroad by joining T-Team in Malaysia. Though his time there was short, his experience playing overseas further increased his exposure. Upon returning to Indonesia, he played for several major clubs, including Sriwijaya FC, Madura United, Borneo FC, Persib Bandung, Kalteng Putra, and Persebaya Surabaya, and most recently took on a new challenge by joining Sulut United in Liga 2.
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Patrich Wanggai’s story is a valuable lesson for today’s generation of Indonesian footballers. He reminds us that talent alone is not enough. In football, as in life, the key to success lies in relentless hard work and dedication.
For players who are at their peak performance, don’t settle too quickly. Go back to the mentality. It also helps to have a supportive and positive environment.
From his turbulent career journey, Patrich Wanggai not only scored goals on the field but also left behind a valuable lesson about the importance of not settling too soon. For Patrich, even though the path he took didn’t always align with his expectations, he believes this message can inspire many young players who are now striving to reach the peak of their careers.
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