Two football teams join forces: Laying the foundation for succession

In modern football, succession is one of the key factors to ensure sustainable development and maintain long-term performance of national teams.

With that orientation, the national team and the U22 Vietnam team gathering together during the FIFA Days in June is not just a coincidence in terms of timing, but a calculated strategy from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF). Two teams, two generations, but with the same goal of building a sustainable future for the country's football.

Positive signal

On May 29, the national team will gather again in Hanoi . Before that, coach Kim Sang-sik announced the list of 23 national players preparing for the match against Malaysia in the second match of Group F of the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup.

At the same time, the Vietnam U22 team also entered a new training session with 26 players, preparing for three major goals: the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, the 2026 Asian U23 qualifiers and the 33rd SEA Games.

The two teams gathering at the same time not only helps optimize facilities and coaching staff, but also creates an opportunity to build a cohesive football ecosystem.

More importantly, this is an opportunity to create observation, connection and transfer throughout the two generations - from the generation of players who are the pillars of the national team, to the young faces on the journey to assert themselves.

It can be seen that in the national team, in this gathering, the list of players called up by coach Kim Sang-sik still bears a strong mark of stability when retaining the squad that helped Vietnam win the 2024 ASEAN Cup.

Names like Dinh Trieu, Duy Manh, Tien Dung, Thanh Chung, Hoang Duc, Quang Hai and Tien Linh continue to be trusted. This is a class of players who have proven their class and mettle in big matches.

In addition, the Korean coach did not forget to refresh his squad. Notably, the first appearance of Vietnamese-American defender Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, who was naturalized as a Vietnamese citizen in March and is performing consistently for the Hanoi Police.

In addition, the return of goalkeeper Nguyen Filip after a period of absence due to family reasons also significantly strengthened the quality of the defense. Both players contributed greatly to the journey of Hanoi Police to the final of the 2024/2025 Southeast Asian Club Championship.

Another bright spot is the return of striker Nguyen Cong Phuong after nearly two years of absence at the national team level. Although playing in the First Division, the striker from Nghe An still leads the scoring list with 7 goals for Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc , enough to confirm that his return is not "late" but full of desire and determination.

However, the team also faced personnel losses. A series of pillars such as Nguyen Xuan Son, Van Toan, Ho Tan Tai, Vu Van Thanh, Vi Hao and Doan Ngoc Tan were absent due to injuries. These were regrettable losses but at the same time opened up opportunities for young players or those who had just returned to the team to show their abilities.

Meanwhile, under the leadership of acting head coach Dinh Hong Vinh, the U22 Vietnam team continues to maintain a stable squad. Names such as Hoa Xuan Tin, Cao Van Binh, Van Cuong, Van Truong, Xuan Tien, Quoc Viet, Thanh Nhan continue to be called up.

This is a generation of young players who have been "tested" through many international tournaments, have a cohesive playing style and understand their teammates, this is an important premise to aim for big goals in 2025-2026.

In particular, this training session saw the appearance of new recruit Bui Alex, a Vietnamese-American player born in 2005 who is currently playing in the Czech Republic. Bui Alex is a versatile player in three positions: striker, attacking midfielder and winger, and stands out for his ability to dribble, handle the ball delicately and finish with both feet. He has also scored 2 goals in the Czech Republic Third Division this year.

Calling a young overseas Vietnamese player to the U22 team is a testament to the direction of expanding the "player map" that VFF is pursuing, helping to diversify human resources and at the same time enhance the integration of Vietnamese football.

The U22 players will train at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center, with a specialized curriculum to improve physical strength, tactics and teamwork. Organizing training in parallel with the national team will create conditions for the coaching staff to closely monitor the development progress, while screening worthy faces for future "promotions".

Tomorrow starts today…

The synchronization in the meeting plan between the national team and U22 is part of the roadmap for developing Vietnamese football until 2030. This is the third time in a year that the two levels of teams have gathered together during FIFA Days, clearly demonstrating the initiative in creating a legacy foundation.

The special feature of this plan is the close connection between the head coaches, from Coach Kim Sang-sik to the U22 coach. The exchange of information and agreement on football philosophy and tactics are key factors in maintaining consistency in the way the team operates.

This not only helps young players easily integrate when called up to the national team, but also creates conditions for the senior generation to shape their leadership role and inspire the next generation.

In addition, the commitment of the clubs is also noteworthy. Although the V.League 2024/2025 make-up schedule takes place close to the military gathering date, many teams still create maximum conditions for players to join the national team as planned. This is a manifestation of a "football ecosystem" in which all parties VFF, clubs, coaches, and players work towards a common goal.

The fact that the two teams gather at the same time, practice together, and aim for big goals in the region and continent is not just a short-term story, it is also a manifestation of a long-term strategic vision that Vietnamese football is gradually realizing.

When the younger generation is given the opportunity to interact, practice and inherit from the older generation, when the veteran players still maintain their leading role during the transition period, Vietnamese football has the right to hope for a sustainable journey not only in an Asian Cup, a SEA Games, but also in a decade of development beyond the region. And that future has begun from the military gathering this June.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/hai-doi-tuyen-bong-da-cung-hoi-quan-dat-nen-mong-ke-thua-20250529064101923.htm