Ricky Yacobi (born Ricky bin Yacub; 12 March 1963 – 21 November 2020) was an Indonesian football player. He usually played as a striker and was one of the most prominent Indonesian footballers of the 1980s. His nickname was the "Indonesian Paul Breitner". He made a name for himself at the 1986 Asian Games when he led the Indonesia national team. In 1988, Japanese club Matsushita (currently known as Gamba Osaka) bought him, but he failed to make an impact with the team because of the climate and weather conditions. He only played 6 games for the side, scoring one goal.
After retiring, he opened a football school called Sekolah Sepak Bola (SSB) Ricky Yacobi in Jakarta, which he operated. He also served as manager of one of the first Indonesian division clubs, Jakarta Matador FC.
Death
On 21 November 2020 Yacobi died of a heart attack while playing football with several former national team players and journalists at Senayan A Field, Gelora Bung Karno Sports Complex. One of his teammates said that Yacobi suddenly fell when he was about to celebrate after scoring a goal. He was rushed to the nearby Mintohardjo Naval Hospital [id], but to no avail.[1]
