Coach Kim Sang Sik was carried on the shoulders of his players after winning the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games - Photo: NAM TRAN
"The current Vietnam U23 team is the core force aiming to compete in the 2030 World Cup qualifiers."
Therefore, the players need to be fully aware of their responsibilities, constantly strive, and focus on the goals set from this moment onward," emphasized Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan, President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), during a motivational meeting with the entire team before their departure to participate in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals in Saudi Arabia.
The fruits of cultivation
In preparation for the 33rd SEA Games , the Vietnam U22 team underwent 7 training camps and international competitions throughout the FIFA Days, starting in August 2024.
The 11 matches over the past year against four strong opponents – U23 South Korea (2 matches), U23 Uzbekistan (3 matches), U23 China (3 matches), U23 Qatar (2 matches) – along with U23 Malaysia have helped the young Vietnamese players accumulate international competition experience, gradually improving their skills and competitive spirit.
Winning the final against host Indonesia at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, and especially the spectacular comeback victory of 3-2 against host Thailand at the 33rd SEA Games, demonstrated the resilience of the young Vietnamese players.
But the SEA Games 33 gold medal is just a stepping stone for young Vietnamese players to enter the 2026 U23 Asian Championship.
Placed in Group A alongside host nation Saudi Arabia – the 2022 champions, U23 Jordan, and U23 Kyrgyzstan, this is a tough group for U23 Vietnam. But it's also an opportunity for them to hone their skills and gradually prepare for their World Cup dream.
The nurturing doesn't just come from the VFF; it also begins with the youth academies and professional clubs. The brilliant performance of 21-year-old striker Dinh Bac stems from the contributions of the coaches at the Quang Nam Club's youth academy.
The opportunities given by coach Philippe Troussier with the Vietnamese national team in the past, the improvement by coach Alexandre Poling at the current Hanoi Police Club, and also Đình Bắc's own efforts.
Without one of those elements, there would be no Dinh Bac, who went from suffering from "star syndrome" to becoming a promising striker for Vietnamese football.
The consistent youth training programs of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Academy, Nutifood JMG Academy, and PVF Youth Training Center over the years have contributed to bringing new talents to Vietnamese football such as goalkeeper Trung Kien, center-backs Nhat Minh, Ly Duc, Hieu Minh, midfielder Xuan Bac, and striker Thanh Nhan…
Dinh Bac performed outstandingly at the SEA Games 33 - Photo: NGUYEN KHOI
Many outstanding names
Dinh Bac had a memorable year in 2025. He won the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship in Indonesia with the Vietnam U23 team and also won the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand with the Vietnam U22 team. In both tournaments, the 21-year-old striker was honored as "Best Player".
But it wasn't just Dinh Bac; it was also Phi Hoang – an outstanding player on the left flank of the Vietnam U22 team, with many decisive passes that led to goals for his teammates.
Thanh Nhàn also made a strong impression. A last-minute injury prevented him from participating in the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship. The SEA Games 33 provided him with the opportunity to showcase his best skills when he was brought on in the second half.
Vietnam U22's 2-0 victory over the Philippines U22 in the semi-finals and Thailand U22's 3-2 win in the final were both sealed by Thanh Nhàn. Following striker Hà Đức Chinh, Thanh Nhàn is the next outstanding forward trained by the PVF Youth Training Center.
That's a steel shield with goalkeeper Trung Kien and the trio of central defenders Ly Duc, Hieu Minh, and Nhat Minh. With impressive physiques and good goal-scoring abilities from set pieces, Hieu Minh and Ly Duc not only played for the Vietnamese national team in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup but are also ready to replace their senior teammates in the Vietnamese national team.
The generation born between 2005 and 2007 who participated in the 33rd SEA Games is also very promising. Goalkeepers Cao Van Binh and Nguyen Tan (2005), midfielders Le Van Thuan and Nguyen Cong Phuong (2006), and striker Nguyen Le Phat (2007).
This is the generation of players that the VFF (Vietnam Football Federation) has planned to prepare for the campaign to defend the SEA Games 34 gold medal in 2027, as well as for the dream of participating in the 2018 Olympics and the 2030 World Cup.
Fans hope this smile will accompany the young Vietnamese players on their journey to conquer even greater goals in the future - Photo: NGUYEN KHOI
The journey to overcome obstacles
Following the joy of victory at the 33rd SEA Games, fans are eagerly awaiting the young players to overcome challenges and transform into dragons in the national team's colors, conquering new goals.
Eight years ago, the "golden generation" of players like Quang Hai, Cong Phuong, Xuan Truong, Van Hau, etc., reached the final of the 2018 AFC U23 Championship, marking the beginning of the current core generation of Vietnamese football. Now, the current generation of young players is also expected to achieve success at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, thereby shouldering the responsibility of Vietnamese football in the future.
But top-level football is also very harsh. Players who shone at the SEA Games, such as strikers Nham Manh Dung, Nguyen Van Tung, and Le Van Do, are still struggling to establish themselves at their clubs, let alone secure a place in the national team.
In fact, the generation of players who won the SEA Games 33 gold medal showed many good players, but the number of outstanding talents was not large. Dinh Bac is the only exception, and he still needs to accumulate more experience to become a star capable of competing for a place in the national team.
However, the success of Vietnamese football in 2025 still brings much hope. It promises to be a new springboard for Vietnamese football to develop further and achieve its big goals.
Looking ahead to 2026, the goal is to return to the top 100 in men's football and for women's football to dream of participating in the World Cup for the second time.
2025 - A year of great success for Vietnamese football.
In early 2025, the Vietnamese national team won the ASEAN Cup 2024 after defeating host Thailand 3-2 in the second leg of the final in Bangkok. Mid-year, the Vietnam U23 team defeated host Indonesia 1-0 in the final to win the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship. And at the end of the year, the Vietnam U22 team staged a spectacular comeback to beat host Thailand and win the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games.
Winning three tournaments in a single year is unprecedented for Vietnamese football. And coach Kim Sang Sik has also made history in regional football.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/be-phong-moi-cho-bong-da-viet-nam-20260202165406333.htm#content-3
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