Coach Troussier: 'Vietnamese football is on the same level as China'

China Before the friendly match with China tomorrow, October 10, coach Philippe Troussier said that the level of both sides is not too different.

*China - Vietnam: 6:35 p.m. Tuesday, October 10, on VnExpress.

"It's hard to compare Vietnamese and Chinese football. Both teams are struggling to find their way to the world . Personally, I think the football level of the two countries is at the same level, neither side is too superior," coach Troussier told Chinese media at a press conference on the afternoon of October 9 at the Dalian Sports Center.

The French coach is confident that he has a great understanding of Chinese football, having worked there for six years. He believes that they have many good players, are gradually improving, and could soon return to the World Cup arena.

Coach Troussier at a press conference in China today, October 9.

China has invested heavily in football, but has yet to see any success. They have only qualified for the World Cup once, in 2002. Meanwhile, Vietnam is on the journey to its first appearance at the world's most prestigious tournament for national teams. The Vietnam Football Federation hired coach Troussier in the hope that he can take the team to the 2026 World Cup, when the tournament will expand to 48 teams.

"I have a dream of participating in the World Cup with Vietnamese football. But considering the current position, this is very difficult. To achieve this ambition, Vietnam must first enter the top 8 in Asia," said the 68-year-old coach, adding that for the above goal, Vietnam must have a new philosophy, through building a style of play that controls the ball, coordinates closely, and proactively attacks instead of defending tightly, lurking and waiting for counter-attack opportunities as before.

In fact, Coach Troussier has proactively rejuvenated the squad, aiming for a long-term goal. This time, the team gathered without many experienced players such as Nguyen Cong Phuong, Vu Van Thanh, Nguyen Phong Hong Duy, Ho Tan Tai or Bui Tien Dung... "When I arrived, about 40% of the young players were participating in the Vietnam team for the first time. Our goal is to participate in the 2026 World Cup and the upcoming Asian Cup. Regarding the squad for the match against China, I may use 40% to 50% of young players. At this time, I cannot reveal the details, you guys just wait until tomorrow, I will make my best choices", said Coach Troussier.

He also emphasized that Vietnamese players have potential but they are all playing domestically, not knowing what level they can reach.

The match against China is part of Vietnam's high-quality friendly series, in preparation for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers taking place in November. China is currently ranked 80th in FIFA, 15 places higher than Vietnam. The two teams met in the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup. Vietnam lost 2-3 in the first leg, but won 3-1 in the second leg at home at My Dinh Stadium.

Coach Troussier affirmed that Vietnam has prepared thoroughly and his players are ready to face the huge challenge in this match. "I am honored to start the journey to the World Cup with a match against China. Regardless of the result of the match, we will still steadfastly pursue our goals," said the coach who has led Nigeria and Japan.

In this match, the host China wore red, while Vietnam played in white. VAR was applied in the match.

Lam Thoa

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