Vietnam U17 team's launching pad

Under the guidance of coach Cristiano Roland, the Vietnam U17 team deservedly and convincingly won the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship. Behind them was a powerful springboard from Vietnamese football.

The U17 Vietnamese players have rekindled hope for Vietnamese football after their impressive journey in the Southeast Asian arena - Photo: VFF

To reach the top of the podium at the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship, the Vietnam U17 team has undergone a long process of investment and meticulous preparation since last year by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF).

Personnel change

After the Vietnam U17 team was eliminated in the group stage of the 2025 AFC U17 Championship, the VFF (Vietnam Football Federation) proceeded to select and build a new generation of players, born in 2009 or later.

Nevertheless, the team still has two individuals who are of legal age and performing very well: Chu Ngoc Nguyen Luc and Nguyen Van Duong. In addition, there are several players who have performed well in national youth tournaments such as Nguyen Ngoc Anh Hao, Nguyen Hiep Dai Viet Nam, and Le Sy Bach.

This new generation of Vietnam U17s has been nurtured and cared for over a long period, with the VFF (Vietnam Football Federation) providing opportunities for them to train abroad (in China and Japan). They also played friendly matches against strong teams such as Australia, China, and Saudi Arabia.

A well-thought-out investment plan

Not only the players, but also the coaching staff has been consistently and thoroughly prepared. Accordingly, Coach Roland continues to receive the trust of the VFF (Vietnam Football Federation). The fact that the Vietnam U17 team excellently qualified for the 2026 U17 Asian Championship last year with 5 wins out of 5 matches, scoring 50 goals and conceding none, is a promising sign of their potential to win this year's Southeast Asian Championship.

Throughout the youth national teams, from U16, U17 to U19, U20 and U23 Vietnam, the VFF (Vietnam Football Federation) has a meticulous investment plan. Through cooperation with strong football federations in Asia, Vietnamese youth teams regularly participate in international competitions to gain experience and learn. As a result, young players gradually improve their professional skills and competitive spirit.

For the Vietnam U23 team, before winning the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games and the bronze medal at the 2026 U23 Asian Championship, the players also had the opportunity to tour abroad and compete against top teams in the continent. Speaking to Tuổi Trẻ newspaper, expert Phan Anh Tú stated that, in addition to investment from the federation, youth training academies also play a crucial role in the development of national teams.

Positive signs from youth academies.

"In recent years, Vietnamese youth training centers have developed systematically. They apply science and technology, hire foreign experts from advanced football nations, and bring their knowledge and experience to help young Vietnamese players keep up with the trends of world football. Youth training is the foundation of Vietnamese football. It has, is, and will continue to produce core personnel for the national teams," said Mr. Phan Anh Tú.

"Besides that, we must also praise Coach Roland. He is a good coach, and it takes a good coach to build such a disciplined team. Having lived in Vietnam for a long time, Coach Roland understands the strengths and weaknesses of Vietnamese players very well. On the other hand, the VFF's trust in a coach has created consistency, synchronization, and teamwork in the playing style of the Vietnam U17 team," Mr. Tú added.

The Vietnam U17 team needs more time to prove its capabilities. However, positive signs from youth training and investment by the VFF indicate that a new generation of players under the guidance of coach Roland deserves high expectations.

The joy of the Vietnam U17 team after defeating Malaysia to become Southeast Asian champions - Photo: VFF

An impressive journey

Thanks to preparations starting in 2025, the Vietnam U17 team only needs about 10 days of training in April 2026 before heading to Indonesia for the Southeast Asian U17 Championship. Vietnam U17 began their journey in Group A with a resounding 4-0 victory over Malaysia U17 on April 13th.

Following their strong opening match, the Vietnam U17 team continued their momentum, winning 10-0 against Timor Leste U17 in their second match on April 16th, thus taking the top spot in the group from Indonesia U17.

In the final match, Vietnam U17 played against host Indonesia U17 on April 19th. Coach Roland's team drew 0-0, just enough to secure first place in Group A, while simultaneously eliminating the host nation.

In the semi-finals on April 22nd, Vietnam U17 defeated Australia U17 2-1 after an impressive comeback. In the final on April 24th, Vietnam U17 faced Malaysia U17 again and won 3-0 to claim their fourth Southeast Asian U17 Championship title. For Coach Roland, this is his first major achievement after two years of leading the Vietnam U17 team.

Heading towards the World Cup arena.

With five unbeaten matches, scoring 19 goals and conceding only one, the Vietnam U17 team demonstrated complete superiority over the rest by winning this Southeast Asian championship. This will serve as a stepping stone, giving the Vietnam U17 team more confidence before the more challenging 2026 AFC U17 Championship, which will take place in May in Saudi Arabia.

The Vietnam U17 team faces the task of reaching the quarterfinals, which is equivalent to a spot in the U17 World Cup also held this year. This is the true measure of the progress of Vietnamese football, as well as the achievements of youth training and the investment of the VFF.

NGOC LE

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/be-phong-u17-viet-nam-20260426092223178.htm