Growing up in the Netherlands, Marc Klok has always loved football. His parents both have a deep appreciation of the sport, and on top of that, two of his uncles were professional football players during their heyday. It is no wonder that even at a young age, Marc has always dreamt of becoming a professional football player. Today, he is living his dream.
Currently playing for the Indonesian national team, the 31-year-old athlete began a career in the sport at Dutch professional football club, Utrecht, followed by stints with the Scottish Premiership club Ross County and the Bulgarian professional association football club, Cherno More Varna, where he won one Bulgarian Cup and one Bulgarian Supercup. He briefly joined Oldham Athletic and played for Scottish side Dundee, before finding his footing in Indonesia.
“I left the Netherlands when I was 19, 20 years old, to go abroad by myself. I feel that has really shaped me into the man I am today. I had to be firm, to be strong, and to have a good mindset for all the challenges I was facing. There were a lot during those years, but they made me mentally prepared for the hard world of football,” revealed Marc, “Because I was all alone, I had to be there for myself and learn different languages. My experiences shaped me and helped me to adapt to Indonesia, particularly the stint in Bulgaria, because it made me tough.”
Leaving the comforts of home, Marc did not have any other option but to take football seriously; it became his sole occupation. This frame of mind allowed him to forge on and acclimatise to his surroundings, “Sometimes in life, you don’t have an option, so you just accept it and get on with it. Sometimes you just have to accept the situation you’re in and adapt. I think this can only happen if you prepare yourself well enough, if you allow yourself to be open-minded and tell yourself you can do it.”
Upon his arrival in Indonesia in 2017, Marc was exposed to a stark reality—that football in Europe is very different to football in the Asian archipelago. Whereas proper infrastructure and facilities are rampant in the West, the few found in Indonesia are somewhat wanting and require further development. It was an eye-opener for the footballer who claims that what the country may lack in amenities, it totally makes up for in atmosphere and fan appreciation. “The fans here are very warm, they welcomed me and embraced me like one of their own,” he said.
But unbeknownst to the professional sportsman, his connection to Indonesia goes beyond what he does for a living. His first stint was with the Indonesian club PSM Makassar of Liga 1 and while there, the possibility of him being tapped for the national team and naturalised as an Indonesian was brought up. “I was only 24, and they were telling me I would make a great addition to the team,” Marc conveyed. One day, out of the blue, his dad sent him a picture of their family tree and said, “Do you realise that in this picture it says that your great-great-grandfather was born in Makassar?” The coincidence made Marc laugh and made him think, “Wow, this is crazy. I am in Makassar now, I’m playing for Makassar, what are the odds of this wonderful association?”
In 2020, Marc signed a four-year contract with Persija Jakarta. Unfortunately, the season was suspended due to COVID-19 and the lockdown was put into place. Following this, he moved to Persib Bandung in 2021, “It was quite an interesting time in my life. Because of the existing rivalries between the clubs, the move to Persib was challenging for me. There was a lot of pressure because I was new to the club and the players looked at me differently because I came from Persija. It felt like everyone wanted to know who I was, to see what I could do. The pressure drove me to prove my worth. My hunger, my drive compelled me to show them what I could offer the team.”
Surpassing all the hardship, Marc is now a midfielder for Liga 1 club Persib Bandung. He is also a proud leader and member of the Indonesia national team. “Putting the Garuda jersey on was extra special for me. I came a long way, from the Netherlands to Indonesia, from being a practical nobody to becoming somewhat famous, and eventually landing a spot in the national team; I can only say that it was a miracle, and it is now my happy reality,” he said with a smile.
Queried about his proudest moment playing for the national team, Marc was quick to say, “I think it was the penalty I scored at the Asian Cup qualifiers against Kuwait, because that penalty made us qualify for the Asian Cup. It was the first time in 17 years that Indonesia qualified and that moment was so defining. Had I missed it, I would have been a national disgrace, but since I scored it, we wrote history and I was the hero,” he said with a chuckle. “Coming together for the national team, we put aside our pride, the ego we have when we play for our clubs, our rivalry, and we are one, we fight for the same objectives, and that is to bring Indonesia higher, no matter which club, which background, or where we come from. I think that’s so important that no matter where we come from, we are in a team and that team has to do it together. That makes all the difference.”
Someone who is always prepared, physically, mentally, and emotionally, Marc considers every game like it was his first. And because of the support and acceptance he has received from Indonesians, the committed footballer is keen on returning all the love to his adoptive country. “I believe that it is imperative to start preparing young athletes in Indonesia, from the grassroots level, providing them with the right mindset and better education towards their football journey. It is vital to give them the proper facilities and infrastructure so they can become better football players and better people as a whole.” With this in mind, he set up the Marc Klok Foundation. “One of our foremost initiatives is to renovate or build football pitches that are accessible and free to everyone, which everyone can use to develop their skills and educate themselves through the sport of football.”
One of the foundation’s latest projects was in Desa Mandalika, Lombok, where the organisation was instrumental in building a school and orphanage for displaced and disadvantaged children, “I think the people in Lombok, the kids, really felt like no one was helping them, they didn’t feel seen. They didn’t have any opportunities, and I think that motivated me to take action, because every kid, no matter the background, no matter the place you live in, who your parents are, every kid should have opportunities in life and the ability to dream. I think what makes me sad to see is that people actually stop dreaming because they don’t think it’s possible, they don’t believe in themselves or the circumstances anymore. If I can be of any help, I think that is something that inspires me to reach out. I’m very grateful for what I have, in my day to day life, I’m very humbled. I know everything can be taken away in a second, and that fact makes me appreciate life a lot, and I think that’s why it’s good if you can help in any kind of way. I’m fortunate, I’m blessed to be in the position I am. Even if I can help someone just by giving them a smile or a picture, I believe to do the small gestures and to make people happy is one of the most important things in life.”
Gaining momentum with his outreach programmes, it cannot be denied that Marc is truly making an impact on communities. “One of our success stories was when we renovated a football field in Jakarta, and the people could not believe that their field was chosen because it was in a really rough, poor neighbourhood. But we made an announcement that we will open the field and that I will personally come on the day. The reaction of the people was insane, they couldn’t believe it, they had tears in their eyes, they were so happy that they could play football,” conveyed the soon-to-be father of two whose next project will be in the city of Bandung.
Asked what kind of legacy he would like to leave, Marc answered with this reply, “One of the most important things we can do in this life is to have social impact. We all strive to be better, to be famous, to have more money, but one thing we should also strive for is social impact and I think that is something that we can do, big or small, and we can do it on a day to day basis. My long-term goals for the foundation is just to build as many football fields as possible across Indonesia, from Jakarta to Papua, to Lombok and Bali, to Borneo, etc. I want to create that impact and have that legacy and change the lives of thousands, maybe millions of children. I think that is my passion. Of course I cannot do it alone, and I need people to support that mission and vision and I hope we can get there someday.”
One company that supports the avid sportsman is Hublot. The debonair athlete considers the Spirit of Big Bang his favourite Hublot line and enumerates the things he likes about it, “I think the design is cool, it stands out; it is elegant and classy, sporty yet fashionable.” He also expresses his appreciation and enumerates what he likes about the storied brand, “I think being part of the Hublot family is really a blessing, I’m really grateful for that, it really resonates with who I am, my values, my style, my brand, the love from Hublot for sport, and especially football, and I think we have the perfect partnership.”
Creative Direction: Erika Tania
Photography: Raja Siregar
Fashion Styling: Charlene Atalie
Grooming: Carol Liem
Location: Mason Pine Hotel Bandung
