The events of late June and July 1st show that the Vietnamese national team's coaching staff is preparing for the tournament with a proactive approach to change, rather than simply preserving old values. From expanding the selection pool, giving opportunities to young players, considering the use of naturalized players, to the training plan in South Korea, everything reflects a consistent mindset: to defend their title, the Vietnamese national team cannot enter the AFF Cup 2026 with the intention of repeating themselves.
Strengths of the Vietnamese national team
The Vietnamese national team's greatest strength remains its collective foundation, built over many years. In Southeast Asian football, few teams maintain a core group with such extensive international experience as Vietnam. Players accustomed to the pressure of major tournaments help the team maintain composure, emotional control, and stability during difficult times. This is a particularly important advantage in a short tournament like the AFF Cup, where even a moment of lapse in concentration can change the course of the game.
However, experience alone is not enough to defend the title. What's noteworthy during this preparation phase is that coach Kim Sang Sik doesn't want the team to remain stagnant. At the end of June, when the squad list was announced, he proactively called up many young players and those who could bring a fresh perspective. This wasn't just a formality, but a way to create genuine competition within the team.
The emergence of young players like Quang Kiet, Nhat Minh, Viet Cuong, and Ngoc My shows that the coaching staff wants to add more energy, speed, and flexibility to the team. In a tournament lasting over a month, a strong team is not only one with the best core squad, but also one with enough quality options to rotate and change playing styles when needed. If the young players bring new dynamism, while the veterans maintain system stability, the Vietnamese national team will have a more balanced lineup.
Another noteworthy point is that coach Kim Sang Sik's personnel selection is increasingly focused on specific tactical requirements. Players who can make a difference physically, with speed or versatility, are receiving more attention. This shows that the Vietnamese national team is preparing for the 2026 AFF Cup in a more realistic and appropriate way, in line with the increasingly fierce competition in regional football.
The pressure and challenges facing coach Kim Sang Sik.
On July 1st, coach Kim Sang Sik gave an interview to the press and shared quite clearly his tactical plans. The biggest highlight was his comments about the group of naturalized players, especially Xuan Son and Hoang Hen. The head coach's public praise of their ability to integrate and contribute shows that they are no longer just supplementary options, but are being placed at the center of tactical experiments for the 2026 AFF Cup.
This detail is very significant. For many years, the Vietnamese national team has been known for its well-organized, disciplined style of play and team spirit. But to maintain its leading position in the region, the team needs more players who can make a difference with their individual abilities. When facing opponents who are increasingly strong in terms of physical fitness, speed, and utilize many naturalized players, cohesion alone may not be enough to create a clear advantage.
Therefore, the fact that coach Kim Sang Sik is considering using three naturalized strikers like Xuan Son, Hoang Hen, and Tai Loc simultaneously signals his desire to increase the attacking power of the Vietnamese national team. If implemented smoothly, the Vietnamese team will not only play solidly as usual, but also be more explosive in matches where they need to impose their game.
Of course, this is also the most difficult challenge for coach Kim Sang Sik. The Vietnamese national team cannot become stronger simply by adding talented individuals without maintaining team cohesion. How to maximize the potential of naturalized players without disrupting the existing rhythm of the team, how to give young players opportunities while maintaining team stability, and how to make the team's attack sharper without sacrificing defensive security – these are the crucial questions.
Coach Kim Sang Sik also addressed the team's personnel situation. Several injuries or players not yet being in peak physical condition clearly affect the overall plan, especially since the AFF Cup is a tournament lasting over a month. As the defending champions, the Vietnamese national team will undoubtedly face greater psychological pressure, as any opponent will enter the match with very high determination. To overcome that pressure, the team needs not only a strong squad, but also depth, fitness, and consistency to maintain intensity throughout the tournament.
The journey to defend the title.
The AFF Cup, now officially known as the ASEAN Cup, will take place from July 24th to August 26th, 2026. The Vietnamese national team will participate as the defending champions and is in Group A alongside Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Timor Leste. This is a challenging group from the perspective of a team defending its title.
Indonesia is almost certain to be a direct competitor for the top spot thanks to their high ambitions and strong squad renewal trend in recent years. Singapore has always been a formidable opponent due to their tight organization and regional experience. Cambodia and Timor Leste, although considered weaker, could still cause problems if the Vietnamese team doesn't maintain maximum concentration. For the defending champions, the difficulty lies not only in the strength of their opponents, but also in the expectation that every match must be won.
That is the biggest pressure facing the Vietnamese national team at the 2026 AFF Cup. When you're at the top, people no longer judge you by effort, but by results. A victory is considered a given, while a draw or an underperforming match will immediately raise doubts. Therefore, what the Vietnamese national team needs to do is not only prepare professionally, but also mentally for a journey where every match is a test of character.
However, pressure also comes with opportunity. If they can get through the group stage and maintain their progress in playing style, the Vietnamese national team is fully capable of reaffirming its position as the number one team in the region. The positive aspect is that the team currently has many reasons to believe in that goal: an experienced core squad, a coach striving to make a tactical difference, the emergence of promising naturalized players, and a new generation of young players who can add depth to the team.
The Vietnamese national team is expected to depart for South Korea on the morning of July 2nd for a training camp, a crucial step in finalizing the squad and testing tactical options before the tournament begins. From there, the Golden Star Warriors will start their journey to defend their title with a match against Timor Leste on July 24th.
Source: https://cand.vn/dt-viet-nam-truoc-them-aff-cup-2026-post815537.html
