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Elias Dolah during a match for Thailand. Photo by Instagram/@eliasdolah4 |
Dolah posted the message on his Instagram account following the dramatic final at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Monday night.
The 33-year-old defender began by praising the team in English.
“You can be proud of the performance,” he wrote.
Dolah then switched to Indonesian, writing: “And congratulations to Indonesia. Stupid referee, but congrats anyway.”
Standing 1.96 m tall, the Swedish-born Dolah has made 25 appearances and scored one goal for the Thailand national team since 2019. He is well-known to Indonesian fans, having played for Bali United from 2023 to 2025 before returning to Thailand to join Buriram United.
The most recent appearance of Dolah for Thailand was in the Asian Cup qualifiers in June. He was not included in the squad for the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup.
While Dolah did not specify which of Ahrol Risqullaev’s decisions angered him, the final was a highly tense match marked by many times players pressuring the Uzbek official. The turning point occurred in the 81st minute when Thailand defender Nicholas Mickelson, who plays for SV Elversberg in the Bundesliga, received a second yellow card for a foul on Indonesia’s Ole Romeny, forcing the visitors to play with 10 men for the rest of the match.
Despite the personnel disadvantage, Thailand took the lead in extra time when Peeradol Chamrasamee scored in the 110th minute. However, Indonesia’s Elkan Baggott netted a crucial equalizer just five minutes later to force a penalty shootout.
Indonesia ultimately won the shootout 4-2 to claim their inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup title, after Sarach Yooyen hit the post and goalkeeper Emil Audero saved Nattapong Sayriya’s attempt.
Thai media has not mentioned much about the referee’s work. Local outlets like Daily News and Thairath focused on praising the team’s resilience while playing with 10 men.
Coach Hudson also refrained from criticizing the referee. He chose to highlight the fighting spirit of players and did not blame any specific individual, CNN Indonesia reported.
The Football Association of Thailand posted a message thanking the players and fans while welcoming constructive feedback.
Referee Risqullaev, 41, has held a FIFA license since 2017 and boasts experience officiating across Asia, including 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the AFC Champions League.
He is no stranger to Indonesian football. During the 2022 AFC Cup, he famously issued 11 yellow cards and two red cards in a match between Indonesia’s PSM Makassar and Malaysia’s Kedah Darul Aman.