Hanoi FC and their journey to lay the foundation for the 2034 World Cup.

Hanoi FC is nurturing a promising generation of U.17 players, building a solid foundation for the future of Vietnamese football. With a long-term football philosophy, the capital's purple team aims to contribute to bringing the national team closer to the dream of participating in the 2034 World Cup.

Loyalty in all stages

When midfielder Van Truong unfortunately suffered a serious injury and was unable to participate with the Vietnam U.23 team in the SEA Games 33, many fans nationwide, especially those who love the purple jersey of Hanoi FC, felt immense regret.

They feel sorry for Van Truong and also for Hanoi, a club rich in identity that has contributed many talented players to generations of the Vietnamese national team, helping them conquer titles over the past decade.

Hanoi FC and Chairman Hien have made significant contributions to the success of Vietnamese football over the years.

Photo: HN

They felt that the Vietnam U23 team lacked the Hanoi FC spirit, the spirit that was once displayed by players like Quang Hai, Hung Dung, Duy Manh, Thanh Chung… during the most glorious days of Vietnamese football.

But football is actually a continuous flow, and along its course, there will be bends before the water converges into large rivers that flow into the ocean. The fact that Hanoi FC doesn't have any players in the Vietnam U23 team this time could be one such bumpy stretch. But as a flow, continuity is always paramount. Without continuity, without the preceding and succeeding waves, a proper basin will never be formed.

And at Hanoi FC, the story of the waves following is certainly a never-ending one. Simply put, as long as fans still love and express their right to demand, even put pressure on development, those involved in football wearing the purple jersey must remain steadfast in any phase, always striving to raise their own level, thereby contributing to a great river that merges with the aspirations of Vietnamese football on its journey to reach the world stage .

Those observations are not actually slogans, but rather conclusions drawn from observing an entire process. This observation may even have started with initial skepticism, with the very "common" questions of the time such as "What kind of football does Chairman Hien run?" or "How will Hanoi play football?".

Skepticism even persisted until the time when players like Quang Hai and Van Hau emerged as a phenomenon in Vietnamese football, participating in the U.20 World Cup, then the U.23 Asian Championship in Changzhou (China), the AFF Cup, and the SEA Games…

A reputable training center for young people.

When old information resurfaced about Hanoi FC's investment in youth football when boys like Quang Hai were just young kids yearning to watch the senior national team play on TV, many were surprised but also had some doubts about the sustainability and foundation of this training academy. After all, for so many years, Vietnamese people have only been familiar with a few famous training academies and have automatically assumed that football clubs established after 2000 "don't know how to develop youth football."

Many players in the current Vietnam U.17 team come from Hanoi FC.

Photo: HN

Now, all those doubts can be dispelled, as the Vietnam U17 team has just achieved an unprecedented feat: winning all their matches in the U17 Asian Championship qualifiers, scoring 30 goals and conceding none. This is a kind of miracle we've only heard about and seen from big teams in Europe, and when comparing ourselves to other Asian football nations, we always feel the need to be a little humble because Vietnam isn't a team that can "bully anyone it wants."

Yet, the Vietnam U17 national team achieved something that seemed only possible in imagination. Of course, some will argue that the other teams in the group, such as Macao (China), Hong Kong (China), and the Northern Mariana Islands, are just minor opponents.

However, Singapore and Malaysia are not opponents that anyone in Southeast Asia can underestimate. And if we connect this to the U.17 Asian Championship finals in the summer of 2025, looking at the three draws where Vietnam scored in all three matches against UAE, Australia, and Japan, we have reason to hope that Vietnamese youth football is still on the path to improvement.

These players played a crucial role in the Vietnam U.17 team's qualification for the U.17 Asian Championship finals.

Photo: HN

In this upward trajectory of Vietnamese youth football, the dedication of Hanoi FC is increasingly evident. At last year's U.17 Asian Championship, eight young players from Hanoi FC were part of the national team. And in the recent U.17 Asian Championship qualifiers, five players from Hanoi FC joined the team and scored goals. Nguyen Luc, Hoang Viet, and Quy Vuong each contributed one goal, while Manh Quan was the most outstanding with five goals for the Vietnam U17 team.

Looking at how these young players play, and reflecting on the journey of the Vietnam U.17 team at the AFC U.17 Championship, with players like Thang Long, Hong Phong, Thien Phu, Anh Kiet, Duc Duy, Viet Long… we can draw parallels to the era of Quang Hai, Van Hau…, players who played together from a young age and from that developed a strong understanding and rhythm that created a solid team.

Continuing the dream

That is the necessary foundation to build a solid base for Hanoi football, to contribute a confident voice alongside other major youth training centers, creating the right mindset for Vietnamese football in its quest to rise to the next level and find its way onto the world stage.

The action plan aimed at qualifying for the 2034 World Cup must rely on young talents like these, not just on luck like "occasionally blessed by heaven." Hanoi FC has created a football ecosystem, from U.9 to U.21, over many years, with numerous national titles at all age levels, from U.21, U.19, U.17… And that is the essence of Hanoi football, carrying the spirit of the people of Hanoi, integrated into the bloodstream of Vietnamese football.

The coach of the Vietnam U.17 team, Roland, is also a member of Hanoi FC.

Photo: HN

That sense of continuity also stems from building and maintaining identity, as the current coach of the Vietnam U.17 team is also the U.17 coach of Hanoi FC, Cristiano Roland. As a former player of Hanoi FC, familiar with the ins and outs and the character of the people of Hanoi, Roland understands even better the football ecosystem that Hanoi FC desires.

Returning to Hanoi FC as the club's youth team coach in 2023, Roland led the Hanoi U.17 team to two consecutive national championships in 2024 and 2025. And now, those same young players under his guidance are preparing for a new challenge: to further improve themselves by participating in the U.17 Asian Championship and continue the long-held dream of Vietnamese football fans to see the Vietnamese national anthem played at the World Cup.

When we talk about the World Cup, everyone understands that it's a long-term dream, a difficult one, and requires many different incentives for the development of a footballing nation and a national team. But difficulties are meant to be overcome, not to be retreated from.

The previous generation failed to achieve this; the next generation must continue this long journey. This succession must be the path of Vietnamese football, a path that requires patience, unwavering determination, and a nurturing spirit, as well as continuous investment to elevate the sport and ultimately find a way to reach the world stage. Through this, we can affirm a new status for Vietnamese football.

In that vast flow of life, there's always a touch of purple representing Hanoi FC.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/clb-ha-noi-va-hanh-trinh-gieo-nen-mong-cho-world-cup-2034-185251202153829191.htm