Coach Kim Sang-sik admits feeling pressure when leading Vietnam to the U23 Southeast Asian tournament

First, he emphasized the position of the current champion of U23 Vietnam. The team won both times they participated in the tournament. But for that reason, Mr. Kim felt pressured when competing in Indonesia.

“I feel very happy to be with the team in this tournament. U23 Vietnam has won the championship twice before. Therefore, we also feel a little pressure. However, the whole team will try our best. We will practice hard to achieve the best results.”

Although they are only in a group with Laos and Cambodia, Mr. Kim still wants his players to play with 100% determination in every match. "We always work seriously, I want the players to see each match as a final. The spirit of the whole team is to play with the highest determination in every match," said the Korean coach.

Vietnam won the championship twice in 2022 and 2023.

When asked about the toughest opponents at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 tournament, Mr. Kim immediately mentioned Thailand and Indonesia. He said: "Thailand has many players with strong individual skills and high organization, while Indonesia stands out with its strong physical strength. These are two formidable opponents and will compete fiercely for the championship this year."

Vietnam probably doesn’t have to worry about Thailand or Indonesia because in the two group stage matches, the team only has to face Laos and Cambodia. In the meeting, coach Ha Hyeok Jun was not afraid. He declared that his team was the weakest in the group. “It cannot be denied that we are the lowest rated team compared to Vietnam and Cambodia. However, we will still try our best to win,” said coach Ha Hyeok Jun.

Watch the full 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Football Championship Mandiri Cup™ live on FPT Play, visit http://fptplay.vn