Teammates 'thrilled' with Mitchell Baker's dream debut: Hope he keeps scoring goals

New naturalized player Mitchell Baker had a flawless debut for the Indonesia national team.

The young striker scored a hat-trick in his very first match for Indonesia, facing Cambodia at Pakansari Stadium (Bogor) on Monday evening (July 27, 2026).

Two of Mitchell Baker's three goals came from headers, while the other was a close-range tap-in following a shot on goal against Cambodia.

Mitchell Baker's impressive performance earned high praise from his Indonesia teammate Marc Klok. The Persib Bandung midfielder said he was delighted with Baker's outstanding display.

"We always said Indonesia needs a good striker, someone who can score goals. Every team in the world needs a prolific scorer. I'm very happy that Mitch got his first hat-trick," Klok shared.

Marc Klok believes Mitchell Baker has great potential. The 19-year-old striker is expected to continue scoring more goals at the 2026 AFF Cup.

"This is only the first match. We still have seven games ahead. Hopefully he will keep scoring many goals," Klok said.

Mitchell Baker is clearly a promising player. At 19, he possesses an ideal physique and sharp goal-scoring ability, seen as a hope for the future of the Indonesia national team.

With his hat-trick against Cambodia, Mitchell Baker leads the scoring charts at the 2026 AFF Cup with 3 goals. He shares the top spot with Vietnam's key striker Nguyen Dinh Bac.

Meanwhile, four players have scored two goals in the tournament so far: Do Hoang Hen, Ilhan Fandi, Khamyok, and Paulo Josue.

Mitchell Baker scored a hat-trick in his national team debut, helping Indonesia kick off their ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 campaign in Group A with a convincing 5-1 victory over Cambodia at Bogor Stadium on the evening of July 27.

The 19-year-old striker, who plays in the United States, had an unforgettable debut for the "Merah Putih." Baker opened the scoring for coach John Herdman's team in the 6th minute, before adding two more goals in the 15th and 56th minutes.