Boaz Solossa

Boaz Theofilus Erwin Solossa (born 16 March 1986) is an Indonesian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Liga 2 club Persipura Jayapura. He is considered to be one of the greatest Indonesian players of all time.

Club career Early career Boaz began his junior career by playing at amateur club PS Putra Yohan in 1999 to 2000. He then spent a year at Perseru Serui from 2000 to 2001.

A 17-year old Boaz was called up to the Papua PON Team to be play in the 16th National Sports Week. His talent was finally recognized by national team coach Peter Withe, who selected him for the 2004 Tiger Cup when he was 18 years old.

Persipura Jayapura Boaz signed his first professional contract with Persipura Jayapura in 2005. Since then, he emerged as a highly influential player at the club and even served as captain of the team after the departure of Eduard Ivakdalam. He is seen as a club legend by Persipura fans.

He is Persipura Jayapura's all time record goalscorer and has helped them to win the top division of Indonesia's professional football league four times in the 2005, 2009, 2011 and 2013 seasons.

Despite having played for other Papua-based clubs, Boaz holds Persipura as his second home as well as his extended family. But when Indonesia's professional football competition was halted due to FIFA sanctions from 2015 to 2016, he accepted an offer from Borneo FC to play in a non-official tournament because Persipura had decided to temporarily disband. At the beginning of the 2018 season, he returned to play for Borneo FC only for the 2018 Presidential Cup pre-season tournament.

In July 2021, Boaz and teammate Yustinus Pae were released by Persipura, due to disciplinary issues. He would return to Persipura in 2024 after stints at other Indonesian-Papuan clubs. Till date, Boaz has made 359 appearances and scored 225 goals in all competitions for Persipura.

Carsae In 2016, Boaz was loaned by Persipura for the first time in his career to play for Carsae in East Timor after the conditions of Indonesian football at that time were being vacuumed due to FIFA sanctions, joining fellow Indonesians Imanuel Wanggai and Oktovianus Maniani. However, in April 2016 having only made four appearances Boaz along with Wanggai left the club by mutual consent to rejoin Persipura.

Borneo After spending 16 years with Persipura, On 17 July 2021 Boaz joined Borneo on a 2-season deal. On 10 September 2021, Boaz made his debut for Borneo on a league game against Persik Kediri coming on as a substitute in the 70th-minute, as his team lose 1–0. On 8 January 2022, Boaz scored his first goal for Borneo against Persik Kediri at the Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium, Gianyar.

International career

The first time he appeared was dubbed the "prodigy", when he was brought by Peter Withe and performed a stunning performance in Ho Chi Minh City, when he performed with the Indonesian National Team in the 2004 Tiger Cup. Boaz's international debut was against Turkmenistan on 30 March 2004 for the 2006 World Cup qualification where Indonesia won 3–1 and Boaz made two assists for his teammate Ilham Jaya Kesuma. Boaz was considered to be a bright prospect in Indonesian football after performing brilliantly in the 2004 Tiger Cup, where Indonesia was defeated by Singapore in a home and away match, which resulted in an aggregate score of 5–2 to Singapore. In the group phase, Boaz managed to score 4 goals and along with Ilham Jayakesuma, who scored 7 goals, both led the top scorers chart.

He was injured after a tough tackle in a friendly match against Hong Kong, forcing him to miss the Asian Cup 2007 and disappear from football for 10 months.

After another failure for the Indonesian national team to become a champion in the 2016 AFF Championship, Boaz announce his retirement from the national squad to give chance to other young players as well admitting he was "tired to see Indonesia without any trophy in the tournament". He congratulate Thailand for their fifth trophy and acknowledged that "Thai players and their performances are much better and still far from us to reach". However, Boaz still disclosed his intention to retire, saying he wanted to discuss the matter with his family first while celebrating Christmas in his hometown of Sorong.

Personal life

Boaz was born into a well-known family in Western New Guinea. His uncle, Jaap Solossa, was the governor of the greater Papua province before he died in 2005. Football also runs in the blood of the Solossa clan as well, with Boaz being the youngest of five children who all went on to become professionals, like his brothers Ortizan and Nehemia. Boaz obtained a Bachelor of Economics at Cenderawasih University in 2013. He also works as civil servant.

Career statistics Club

International

Scores and results list Indonesia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Solossa goal.

+ List of international goals scored by Boaz SolossaNo.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition 19 December 2004 Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 3 1–0 6–0 2004 Tiger Cup 2 11 December 2004 Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam 5 2–0 3–0 2004 Tiger Cup 3 3 January 2005 Bukit Jalil Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 7 4–1 4–1 2004 Tiger Cup 4 6 January 2010 Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia 17 1–1 1–2 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification 5 8 October 2010 Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia 18 1–0 1–7 Friendly 6 23 March 2013 Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia 24 1–0 1–2 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification 7 15 October 2013 Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia 27 1–1 1–1 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification 86 September 2016 Manahan Stadium, Surakarta, Indonesia 37 1–0 3–0 Friendly 9 3–0 10 8 November 2016 Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam 40 1–0 2–3 Friendly 11 19 November 2016 Philippine Sports Stadium, Bocaue, Philippines 41 1–2 2–4 2016 AFF Championship 12 21 November 2016 Philippine Sports Stadium, Bocaue, Philippines 42 2–1 2–2 2016 AFF Championship 13 3 December 2016 Pakansari Stadium, Bogor, Indonesia 44 2–1 2–1 2016 AFF Championship

Honours

Persipura Jayapura (Liga Indonesia Premier Division/Indonesia Super League/Indonesia Soccer Championship A) Domestic League Top Tier Division (5): 2005, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2013, 2016 Indonesian Community Shield: 2009 Indonesian Inter Island Cup: 2011

Indonesia Indonesian Independence Cup: 2008 AFF Championship runner-up: 2004, 2016

Individual (Indonesia Super League) Domestic League Top Tier Division Top Scorer (3): 2008–09, 2010–11, 2013 (Indonesia Super League/Indonesia Soccer Championship A) Domestic League Top Tier Division Best Player (4): 2008–09, 2010–11, 2013, 2016 (Indonesia Soccer Championship A) Domestic League Top Tier Division Best XI: 2016 AFF Championship Best XI : 2016 ASEAN Football Federation Best XI: 2017 Favourite Athlete : Anugerah Olahraga Indonesia (AORI) XXIX: 2017 AFC Cup Best XI: (2021)

Record First Indonesian in list of FourFourTwo 50 Best Asian Football Player (2017)