Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto
Encyclopedia
Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto is an active Indonesia
n footballer
. He normally plays as a striker
and is the player with the most caps and goals for the Indonesian national team
after Bambang Pamungkas
with 31 goals in 60 appearances.
Kurniawan is known by his nickname kurus (literally means "skinny" or "slim") because he cuts a slender figure. One of his finest moments was at the 2004 Tiger Cup, during the semifinal match between Malaysia
and Indonesia
. Indonesia was trailing by one goal at half time (2 goals by aggregate), but Indonesia managed to conjure up an impressive comeback which started when Kurniawan scored a goal. Indonesia went on to win the match 4–1 and advanced to the final of the competition before losing to the Singaporean
national football team.
He is one of an elite few Indonesian football players that have plied their trade in Europe. For a brief period in his career, he played for Sampdoria Primavera
. He later played for FC Lucerne
of the Swiss Football League
for two seasons in the mid 1990s. After a moderately successful first season, he was subsequently sent back to Indonesia
because of a combination of injuries, loss of form, a cap on non-EU players in the Swiss League, and an alleged addiction to night life and drugs. He is the first Indonesian footballer to have played in the Intertoto Cup and to have scored in that competition. In addition, he has also taken part in the Asian Champions League as well as the now-defunct Asian Cup Winner's Cup.
In the late 1990s, Kurniawan was caught on the wrong end of a drug scandal which resulted in his expulsion from the national team. But shortly after, he was rehabilitated, exonerated, and reinstated in the team. He is currently playing for PSMS Medan
. Other Indonesian football teams he played for include PSM
, PSPS
, Persebaya
, Persija
, PSS
, Persela and Persisam. He twice won the Indonesian Football League, the first in 2000 with PSM, and the second in 2004 with Persebaya. He was the runner-up on the top-scorer chart in 2000 with 23 goals, trailing Bambang Pamungkas
by 1 goal. During the 97–98 season, he was the runaway leader on the temporary goal-scorer chart when the league was called off due to a serious match-fixing scandal and the general collapse of security in Indonesia in the aftermath of the Asian economic crisis. Barring the World Cup
, Asian Games
and the Olympics (which Indonesia never managed to qualify for during his playing career), Kurniawan has participated in virtually all tournaments and competitions at various regional levels that Indonesia is eligible to take part in, including the Pre-Olympics Qualifier, Pre-World Cup Qualifier, SEA Games, Tiger Cup
(now known as AFF Cup), and Asian Cup.
Football analysts in Indonesia agree that ever since coming back to play in Indonesia, Kurniawan never achieved the same level of quality like he did when he was still in Europe. Much hope was placed on his shoulders, as well as the shoulders of his teammates who belonged in the Primavera team (the Indonesian junior team which trained for two years in Italy
and was poised to qualify to the 1996 Olympics before getting eliminated by South Korea
) to lift up the quality and achievement of the Indonesian national football team. That hope was dashed when Kurniawan (and the rest of the Primavera boys) proved to be somewhat of a letdown when it came to delivering for the national team, which was evident following a series of failures at Southeast Asian as well as Asian tournaments. Nonetheless, he was a permanent fixture in the Indonesian national football team for a long time. To this day, he remains one of the most recognizable names in the history of Indonesian football.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. He normally plays as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
and is the player with the most caps and goals for the Indonesian national team
Indonesia national football team
The Indonesia national football team represents Indonesia in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Indonesia . Prior to independence in 1945, the team competed as the Dutch East Indies national football team. Under this name, Indonesia was the first Asian team to...
after Bambang Pamungkas
Bambang Pamungkas
Bambang Pamungkas is an Indonesian footballer who currently plays for Persija Jakarta in the Indonesian Super League and the Indonesia national football team. His natural position is striker...
with 31 goals in 60 appearances.
Kurniawan is known by his nickname kurus (literally means "skinny" or "slim") because he cuts a slender figure. One of his finest moments was at the 2004 Tiger Cup, during the semifinal match between Malaysia
Malaysia national football team
The Malaysian national football team nicknamed Harimau Malaya, as the Malayan Tiger, is the national team of Malaysia and is controlled by the Football Association of Malaysia...
and Indonesia
Indonesia national football team
The Indonesia national football team represents Indonesia in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Indonesia . Prior to independence in 1945, the team competed as the Dutch East Indies national football team. Under this name, Indonesia was the first Asian team to...
. Indonesia was trailing by one goal at half time (2 goals by aggregate), but Indonesia managed to conjure up an impressive comeback which started when Kurniawan scored a goal. Indonesia went on to win the match 4–1 and advanced to the final of the competition before losing to the Singaporean
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
national football team.
He is one of an elite few Indonesian football players that have plied their trade in Europe. For a brief period in his career, he played for Sampdoria Primavera
U.C. Sampdoria
Unione Calcio Sampdoria is an Italian association football club based in Genoa. The club was formed in 1946 from the merger of two existing sports clubs whose roots can be traced back to the 1890s, Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria...
. He later played for FC Lucerne
FC Lucerne
FC Luzern is a Swiss football club, founded in 1901. The club colors are blue and white, derived from the Canton of Lucerne and the City of Lucerne coats of arms.- History :...
of the Swiss Football League
Swiss Football League
The Swiss Football League is organised in several leagues.-Proposed system from 2012-13 season onwards:-External links:* * * * *...
for two seasons in the mid 1990s. After a moderately successful first season, he was subsequently sent back to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
because of a combination of injuries, loss of form, a cap on non-EU players in the Swiss League, and an alleged addiction to night life and drugs. He is the first Indonesian footballer to have played in the Intertoto Cup and to have scored in that competition. In addition, he has also taken part in the Asian Champions League as well as the now-defunct Asian Cup Winner's Cup.
In the late 1990s, Kurniawan was caught on the wrong end of a drug scandal which resulted in his expulsion from the national team. But shortly after, he was rehabilitated, exonerated, and reinstated in the team. He is currently playing for PSMS Medan
PSMS Medan
Persatuan Sepakbola Medan dan Sekitarnya , commonly referred to as PSMS Medan or simply as PSMS, are an Indonesian football club based in Medan, Indonesia. They are one of Indonesia's most successful clubs. PSMS Medan were founded on April 21, 1950...
. Other Indonesian football teams he played for include PSM
PSM Makassar
PSM, an acronym for Persatuan Sepakbola Makassar, is a football club that plays in the Liga Primer Indonesia. It was once considered as one of Indonesia's strongest football clubs, having won a title in 2000 and finishing runner-up three out of the past four seasons after that...
, PSPS
PSPS Pekanbaru
PSPS, an acronym for Persatuan Sepak Bola Pekanbaru dan Sekitarnya is an Indonesian football team based in Pekanbaru. They compete in the division of Indonesian football, Liga Indonesia...
, Persebaya
Persebaya Surabaya
Persebaya Surabaya is a major Indonesian soccer team located in Surabaya, East Java. Persebaya generally play in the top league of Liga Indonesia, the Indonesia Super League but in 2010-11 are in the second tier....
, Persija
Persija Jakarta
Persija Jakarta is an Indonesian football club from Jakarta. It is one of Indonesia's most successful clubs and the most popular sports club in the city. The club's patron is Sutiyoso, the governor of Jakarta until 2007. Persija Jakarta was founded on November 28, 1928, with the embryo called...
, PSS
PSS Sleman
PSS Sleman is an Indonesian football club based in Sleman. The club was founded in 1976. They play in the top division in Indonesian football, Liga Indonesia. Last season they finished in last position, because of an earthquake. Their home stadium is Maguwoharjo Stadium.-Current roster:-External...
, Persela and Persisam. He twice won the Indonesian Football League, the first in 2000 with PSM, and the second in 2004 with Persebaya. He was the runner-up on the top-scorer chart in 2000 with 23 goals, trailing Bambang Pamungkas
Bambang Pamungkas
Bambang Pamungkas is an Indonesian footballer who currently plays for Persija Jakarta in the Indonesian Super League and the Indonesia national football team. His natural position is striker...
by 1 goal. During the 97–98 season, he was the runaway leader on the temporary goal-scorer chart when the league was called off due to a serious match-fixing scandal and the general collapse of security in Indonesia in the aftermath of the Asian economic crisis. Barring the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
, Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
and the Olympics (which Indonesia never managed to qualify for during his playing career), Kurniawan has participated in virtually all tournaments and competitions at various regional levels that Indonesia is eligible to take part in, including the Pre-Olympics Qualifier, Pre-World Cup Qualifier, SEA Games, Tiger Cup
Tiger Cup
The ASEAN Football Championship , is a biennial international association football competition organized by the ASEAN Football Federation , contested by the national teams of Southeast Asia...
(now known as AFF Cup), and Asian Cup.
Football analysts in Indonesia agree that ever since coming back to play in Indonesia, Kurniawan never achieved the same level of quality like he did when he was still in Europe. Much hope was placed on his shoulders, as well as the shoulders of his teammates who belonged in the Primavera team (the Indonesian junior team which trained for two years in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and was poised to qualify to the 1996 Olympics before getting eliminated by South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
) to lift up the quality and achievement of the Indonesian national football team. That hope was dashed when Kurniawan (and the rest of the Primavera boys) proved to be somewhat of a letdown when it came to delivering for the national team, which was evident following a series of failures at Southeast Asian as well as Asian tournaments. Nonetheless, he was a permanent fixture in the Indonesian national football team for a long time. To this day, he remains one of the most recognizable names in the history of Indonesian football.