Is the frame mature enough?

But amidst the positive signals, the big question remains: is this framework really "ripe" for the goal of competing for the SEA Games 33 gold medal, or are there still unpredictable gaps?

Few surprises but many messages

Looking at the list of 28 players, it is easy to see the faces that have been with the team since international tournaments in 2024-2025. Khuat Van Khang continues to play the role of professional and spiritual leader, while Nguyen Dinh Bac, the best player of U23 Southeast Asia 2025, is the core of the attack. The presence of Pham Ly Duc, Le Viktor... shows the philosophy of building a team that focuses on speed and the ability to quickly change.

It is not difficult to see that Coach Kim Sang-sik prioritizes stability. In the past two years, very few Vietnamese youth coaches have had as much continuous and systematic work as the Korean strategist. Each training session and each training match are part of a well-planned itinerary, aiming for fluency rather than a temporary explosion. Therefore, this “less-changed” list is not simply a matter of safety, but reflects confidence in a proven process.

SEA Games 33 is an important goal, but for coach Kim Sang-sik, the preparation journey is the most important. Since the beginning of 2024, U22 Vietnam has undergone a series of training sessions, friendly matches and especially the international competition at Panda Cup 2025, a highly challenging tournament, gathering the top youth football teams in Asia.

The recent training sessions at PVF, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have all been geared towards increasing the mobility of the squad. This is in line with the goal of the Vietnamese youth team, which is not only to participate in the 33rd SEA Games, but also to prepare long-term for the Asian U23 qualifiers and even the 2028 Olympic campaign.

The problem of "patching" the midfield

Although the basic structure was stabilized early, Van Truong’s injury created a significant gap. Van Truong is not just a simple central midfielder. He is a rhythm-keeping link, has the ability to coordinate and has experience playing in both the youth team and the national team.

When playing alongside a defensive midfielder who tends to block like Thai Son, he is ready to move up to organize attacks. When playing alongside a mobile player like Xuan Bac or Quoc Cuong, he drops back to be a support, coordinate and keep the rhythm. It is this adaptability that helps U22 Vietnam to change tactics depending on each opponent without having to change too much personnel.

The absence of Van Truong makes the U22 Vietnam midfield face many challenges, namely the lack of an experienced bridge between the midfield and the attack; reducing the quality of game control, especially when the opponent presses high.

To compensate, the coaching staff is considering many options. Among the available options, Thai Son is the safest choice, because this player has a solid playing style, good blocking ability, suitable for matches that require discipline in the midfield. Playing next to Thai Son could be Xuan Bac or Quoc Cuong, two midfielders who tend to be mobile, energetic and play more directly. When U22 Vietnam needs to increase attacking pressure, Xuan Bac - Quoc Cuong can form a "two number 8" pair, helping the team increase the speed of the match.

In addition to the familiar names, U22 Vietnam still has flexible options. Van Khang, with his extensive playing experience, can completely retreat to the middle of the field when the team needs to control the ball. Le Viktor or Cong Phuong are also considered versatile players. The midfield is clearly still the place that coach Kim Sang-sik has to calculate the most. And that is also the factor that makes the question "is it ripe yet?" become worth discussing.

The current strength of U22 Vietnam lies in the stability and understanding within the core group of players. But when analyzed more deeply, the team still has points that need to be overcome.

In defense, physicality, speed and ability to compete have improved, but stability is still a problem. Some young central defenders have not played in V-League for long, so their experience facing veteran strikers is still limited.

Up front, we can expect Dinh Bac, who always knows how to make his mark at important moments. Quoc Viet is gradually regaining his form, but his finishing ability needs to be improved. The wing attacks, especially with the appearance of Viktor and Hai Nam, are opening up more attacking options.

In the SEA Games arena, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia are still the main rivals. Thailand has an U22 team with many players playing in Thai League 1. Indonesia is strong in terms of physique and fighting spirit. Malaysia is not too superior but is very difficult in knockout matches.

When putting U22 Vietnam in that context, we can see that the gap is not far, but to confidently say that the team is better than the opponent in all aspects is not enough. U22 Vietnam has advantages in technique, speed and uniformity in some positions.

However, battle experience, especially in high-pressure matches, is something the team still needs to cultivate. Therefore, the goal of winning a gold medal is completely feasible, but requires the team to enter the SEA Games with almost no mistakes in key matches.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/bo-khung-da-du-chin-183459.html