# Marselino Ferdinan

Marselino Ferdinan Philipus (born 9 September 2004) is an Indonesian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for EFL Championship club Oxford United and the Indonesia national team.
Marselino started his senior career with Persebaya Surabaya in 2021, emerging through its youth system. During his first season he became a regular starter and won the Liga 1 Best Young Player Award and was named of as one of the 60 most talented and promising players by The Guardian in the same year. He joined Belgian side Deinze in February 2023. After a year and a half with Deinze, he joined Oxford United on a free transfer in 2024.
Marselino has represented Indonesia at various youth level, finishing third at the 2019 AFF U-15 Championship and winning a bronze medal at the 2021 Southeast Asian Games. He made his senior international debut in 2022, becoming the second youngest Indonesian debutant, and scored his first goal at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers becoming the nation's youngest goalscorer.

## Club career
### Persebaya Surabaya

Marselino broke into the senior team of Persebaya Surabaya in the 2021–22 Liga 1 season a few days after his 17th birthday, after two years in its youth system. His debut was on 12 September 2021 in a Liga 1 match against Persikabo 1973 that ended with a 3–1 victory for Persebaya. On 6 November 2021, he scored his first league goal and saved his team from defeat in a 2–2 draw with rival Arema. On 4 December 2021, he scored the opening goal in the first half and recorded his first assist, to Taisei Marukawa, in Persebaya's 2–0 win over Barito Putera at Manahan Stadium.
On 5 January 2022, Marselino provided another assist for Samsul Arif early in the first half, and scored in the second half of Persebaya's 3–1 win over Bali United. Nine days later, he was involved in Persebaya's 2–1 win over PSM Makassar, scoring in the 55th minute. On 23 August, Marselino scored the only goal in a 1–0 home win against PSIS Semarang at the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium, and was selected as 'Man of the Match'.
On 18 January 2023, Marselino scored a brace for the club in a 0–5 away win against Persita Tangerang.

### Deinze

On 1 February 2023, Marselino officially joined Belgian First Division B club Deinze, on a one-and-a-half-year contract. Marselino made his Deinze debut against Jong Genk on 25 February, coming on as substitute for Jellert Van Landschoot in the 80th minute.
Marselino scored his first and only league goal for Deinze on 22 April 2023 against Virton in a 3–1 win.

### Oxford United

On 19 August 2024, EFL Championship club Oxford United announced that Marselino had signed a two-year deal and had been assigned the number 28 jersey.
On 11 January 2025, Marselino made his debut for Oxford United in the 2024–25 FA Cup match against Exeter City. He came on as a substitute in the 89th minute during a 1–3 defeat.

## International career
### Youth

Marselino first represented Indonesia at the age of 14 when he debuted for the Indonesia U-17 team, in a match against Vietnam U-17 in the 2019 AFF U-15 Championship. He scored his first international goal in his debut match that ended with a 2–0 win.
In October 2021, Marselino joined the Indonesia U23 team for friendlies against Tajikistan U-23 and Nepal U-23 during preparations in Tajikistan for the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification. On 26 October 2021, he debuted in an official U-23 international game as a substitute in a 2–3 loss against Australia U23 in the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification.
Marselino was part of the Indonesia U-23 team that won bronze in the 2021 Southeast Asian Games. He scored two goals in the six matches that he played in that tournament. He was again called up for the under-23 national team for the 2023 Southeast Asian Games, in which he scored two goals in the tournament and helped the team win the gold medal for the first time in 32 years.
Marselino was part of the Indonesia U-20 team that played in the 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification. On 16 September 2022, he scored a brace against Hong Kong U-20.
On 21 April 2024, Marselino scored a brace against Jordan U-23 in the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.

### Senior

In January 2022, Marselino was called up to the Indonesia national team for two friendly matches against Timor-Leste in Bali. He earned his first senior cap on 27 January 2022 in the first match that ended with a 4–1 win for Indonesia. He became the second-youngest Indonesian to play for the main national team at the age of 17 years 4 months and 18 days, just behind Ronaldo Kwateh who debuted in the same match.
On 14 June 2022, Marselino became the youngest goal-scorer in the Indonesia senior team at the age of 17 years and 9 months, after scoring against Nepal in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification in a 7–0 win.
Marselino was called up for his first AFF Championship tournament by Shin Tae-yong. He scored a goal against the Philippines in the 2022 AFF Championship group stage; the goal went viral on social media and caught the attention of the Brazilian Richarlison because of his similar goal celebration. He was also awarded the Young Player of the Tournament award.
On 15 January 2024, Marselino scored the equalizing goal against Iraq in an eventual 1–3 losing effort in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup group stage. He became the youngest goalscorer in the tournament and the nation’s all time youngest scorer in the AFC Asian Cup. On 19 November 2024, Marselino scored a brace in a 2–0 win over Saudi Arabia, which secured Indonesia's first ever win against Saudi Arabia, as well as their first win in the third round of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. He was also named the man of the match.

## Personal life

His traditional name based on the Ngada people's customs is Marselino Ferdinan Dhewa Kedhi. Marselino's mother comes from Surabaya, while his father comes from Ngada, East Nusa Tenggara. He spent his school years in Surabaya.
Marselino is the youngest child of four siblings. During the 2021–22 Liga 1 season, Oktafianus Fernando, his older brother, played for Persebaya Surabaya before Oktafianus left for PSIS Semarang the following season.
Marselino is close friend with Singaporean national team footballer, Ilhan Fandi during his time in Belgium and the duo would often meet one another on their off duty.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 21 January 2025
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Persebaya Surabaya | 2021–22 | Liga 1 | 23 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 25 | 4 |
| Persebaya Surabaya | 2022–23 | Liga 1 | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 9 | 3 |
| Persebaya Surabaya | Total | Total | 30 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 34 | 7 |
| Deinze | 2022–23 | Challenger Pro League | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Deinze | 2023–24 | Challenger Pro League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Deinze | Total | Total | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Oxford United | 2024–25 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 37 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 43 | 10 |

#### Notes

* ↑ Appearances in Menpora Cup
* ↑ Appearances in Indonesia President's Cup
* ↑ Appearances in FA Cup

### International

    As of match played 21 December 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Indonesia | 2022 | 9 | 1 |
| Indonesia | 2023 | 5 | 1 |
| Indonesia | 2024 | 21 | 3 |
| Total | Total | 35 | 5 |
    Scores and results list Indonesia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Marselino goal.
International senior goals
    As of match played 19 November 2024
List of international goals scored by Marselino Ferdinan :
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 14 June 2022 | Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait | 5 | Nepal | 7–0 | 7–0 | 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification |
| 2 | 2 January 2023 | Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippines | 10 | Philippines | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2022 AFF Championship |
| 3 | 15 January 2024 | Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar | 18 | Iraq | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2023 AFC Asian Cup |
| 4 | 19 November 2024 | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia | 32 | Saudi Arabia | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 19 November 2024 | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia | 2–0 | Saudi Arabia | | | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |

## Honours

Indonesia U16
* AFF U-16 Youth Championship third place: 2019
Indonesia U23
* Southeast Asian Games gold medal: 2023; bronze medal: 2021
Individual
* Liga 1 Goal of the Month: November 2021, August 2022, January 2023
* Liga 1 Young Player of the Month: December 2021, January 2022, January 2023
* Liga 1 Best Young Player: 2021–22
* APPI Indonesian Football Award Best 11: 2021–22
* APPI Indonesian Football Award Best Young Footballer: 2021–22
* AFF Championship Young Player of the Tournament: 2022
* Santini JebreeetMedia Awards, Favorite Athlete: 2023
Records
* Youngest player to score a goal for the Indonesia national team: 17 years 278 days (v Nepal, 14 June 2022)