The Vietnamese national team (center) played unconvincingly in their two matches against Nepal - Photo: NK
"The most realistic goal for Vietnamese football right now remains within Southeast Asia. Considering the entire process, and the fundamental factors of Vietnamese football—from infrastructure and competition systems to youth training and club resources—it's clear that reaching continental levels, such as the goal of finishing in the top 10, is very difficult," assessed expert Doan Minh Xuong.
The limits of the Vietnamese national team
Against Nepal – a team ranked 62 places below them in the FIFA rankings – the Vietnamese team, despite dominating possession, still faced significant difficulties in scoring.
The Vietnamese team scored 4 goals in 2 matches, but only striker Tien Linh scored from a coordinated play. The other three goals came from defenders Pham Xuan Manh and Nguyen Van Vi after chaotic situations, and an own goal by a Nepalese player.
This shows that the attack relies too heavily on Tien Linh and lacks effective replacements when this main striker is "silent".
Veteran strikers Pham Tuan Hai and Hai Long both failed to score. Newcomer Pham Gia Hung also made no impact when he came on as a substitute for Hai Long (63rd minute) in the first leg and Tien Linh (70th minute) in the second leg. U23 strikers like Dinh Bac and Thanh Nhan also failed to score.
Besides the attack, the midfield also performed quite poorly. The decline in fitness of Hoang Duc (who left the field early in the second half of the second leg match at Thong Nhat Stadium) and the unconvincing performance of Le Pham Thanh Long left the Vietnamese team struggling to score goals.
I sympathize with Mr. Kim.
Not only Hoang Duc, but many other players also showed weaknesses in their physical fitness despite the V-League 2025-2026 only having 6 rounds played so far. This prevented the Vietnamese team from playing well against Nepal in the second half.
"We must be understanding towards coach Kim Sang Sik and the players. Previously, the V-League often took long breaks to allow the Vietnamese national team to prepare physically. Now, the Vietnamese national team only has short training periods during FIFA Days. Due to the lack of preparation time, limitations in physical fitness were evident in the two matches against Nepal. Furthermore, the Thong Nhat Stadium was slippery due to flooding from the rain," expert Doan Minh Xuong shared.
Mr. Xương also believes that the tactics Mr. Kim is employing are suitable for the current state of Vietnamese football.
He said: "Under Mr. Kim, the Vietnamese national team still plays defensive counter-attacking football. So when facing a team that also plays defensively, it's difficult because there aren't many attacking options or diverse playing styles; we just rely on crosses and headers, and hoping to score from set pieces."
"But that's the nature of Vietnamese football. Even if you bring in a good and famous coach, it won't make a difference! Vietnamese clubs rely on foreign strikers, and Vietnamese players are used to playing that way. So without foreign strikers, they're stuck."
Mr. Xương believes it's time for Vietnamese football to change: "The reality is that Vietnamese football doesn't have many talented players. The U23 team and the Vietnamese national team have both won the Southeast Asian championship, but Asia is a different level that Vietnamese football can't yet reach."
We set high goals, but the solutions lack cohesion. To reach continental heights, Vietnamese football must change its mindset and approach.
We must focus on youth training, but according to new procedures and standards. Previously, Vietnamese football only trained players capable of playing in the V-League or Southeast Asian competitions. Young players, starting from their clubs, must be given more opportunities to play internationally to improve their skills; otherwise, they will never reach the continental level.
Currently, how many football academies in Vietnam are capable of sending their youth players to international tournaments annually? Very few.
"Football also follows a pattern; after success comes a decline. The golden generation of players who won the runner-up title at the 2018 U23 Asian Championship are getting older and their performance is starting to decline. Therefore, it's time for coach Kim Sang Sik and the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to consider adding new players to the Vietnamese national team, creating new vitality for Vietnamese football."
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bong-da-viet-nam-chi-o-tam-dong-nam-a-20251017101927429.htm
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