KURNIAWAN Kartika Ajie knows exactly what it means to start from the bottom. On modest pitches scattered across Balikpapan, the boy who used to tag along to watch his father play football carried a simple dream: to become a goalkeeper.
I started by following my father. He was a local player back home. He was a goalkeeper, so I often watched him play. That’s how I got interested in becoming a goalkeeper.
That spark of interest soon turned into commitment when he joined SSB Mitra Teras at the age of ten. His career took off fast. He drew attention when he led SMPN 8 Balikpapan to win the Liga Pendidikan Indonesia, both at city and provincial level. One day, while playing in a local competition, a familiar figure happened to be watching from the stands.
One of Indonesia’s national team legends from Balikpapan, Bima Sakti, was in the crowd. After the match, he called me and invited me to join the selection for Persiba Balikpapan.
The year 2017 marked the official beginning of his professional football career. At Persiba, his skills started to sharpen. But the real momentum came when Arema FC came knocking.
Moving to Arema was one of my dreams because that’s where Kurnia Meiga, my idol, was playing.
At Arema, it wasn’t just about chasing dreams, but about proving himself too. Ajie was named Best Young Player at the 2018 East Kalimantan Governor’s Cup and played a key role in Arema’s 2019 President’s Cup victory.
Still, no one owns the starting spot as goalkeeper.
The competition for goalkeeper positions is incredibly tough, whether for the national team or in the league. At club level, you’re even up against foreign goalkeepers who come to play in Indonesia.
But Ajie never feared the fight. He always knew what had to be done.
When the chance comes, you make the most of it. Show what you’re capable of on the field. Coaches will always pick the best.
Ajie was loaned out to several clubs, RANS Cilegon FC and Barito Putera among them, before signing with Persik Kediri for the 2022/2023 season. There, he played in 22 matches and was part of the team’s record nine-game winning streak. Then came an offer from Persita Tangerang at the end of 2023.
At Persita, Ajie continued to prove his reliability as a top goalkeeper.
In February 2024, he made his debut for Persita in a 2–1 victory over PSS Sleman. Throughout the season, Ajie made six appearances, logging 540 minutes of play. Though he conceded ten goals and had yet to record a clean sheet, his spirit remained unshaken. He understood that a goalkeeper’s role went far beyond simply making saves.
You’ve got to be assertive. It’s normal to yell on the pitch. Anything can happen during a game. Sure, there are teammates who don’t like being yelled at, but that’s just part of it, especially when the tension’s running high.
His first national team call-up came while he was still at Persiba. He passed the selection and joined the U-23 squad under Spanish coach Luis Milla, who brought a distinct approach to the table.
When I first met him, I was star-struck. I mean, this was someone who had played for big European clubs when I was a kid, and now he was coaching me. His methods were different, less emphasis on physical training like gym sessions, and more on actual football. We learned a lot from his time in charge. Especially in today’s modern game, goalkeepers aren’t just shot-stoppers, they need to be able to play, control the ball, and be involved in build-up play.
Ajie suffered an injury during the 2017 SEA Games but returned with fire in his belly when Indonesia faced Vietnam, a performance that cemented his reputation as a tough, resilient keeper.
His journey hasn’t been spotless. But Ajie has never believed that success meant a smooth ride. For him, it’s about resilience, effort, and constantly proving your worth. And that’s what he’s been doing all along, from Balikpapan to Persita’s goalposts, with an unwavering resolve.
Now, at 28, he still harbors big ambitions.
At this moment, at 28, I still want to compete. Right now, the battle for goalkeeper spots is really intense. But I think goalkeepers still have a long shelf life, as long as we stay consistent, both with the national team and at the club level.
He still idolizes Manuel Neuer and Kurnia Meiga, two figures who, for him, embody both the spirit and the quality needed between the sticks.
