Coach Troussier admits failure at Asian Cup, promises to make up for it in March

Before departing for home, coach Philippe Troussier spoke with the members of the Vietnamese national team for about 15 minutes. The French coach quickly summarized their journey at the 2023 Asian Cup and gave his players instructions for the next stage.

"Of course, the group that the Vietnamese team was in was very difficult. However, to be frank, with the goal of advancing beyond the group stage or at least winning one match, we did not achieve it. We have to admit that. We play football aiming for results," said Coach Troussier.

Vietnam National Team 2-3 Iraq

The Vietnamese national team failed to replicate their achievement of advancing beyond the group stage of the Asian Cup. Coach Troussier's team lost all three matches against Japan, Indonesia, and Iraq. According to the coach, the Vietnamese team's situation could have been very different if they had won or drawn a match in the 2023 Asian Cup.

The 68-year-old coach said: "You could say we were unlucky. If the team had just achieved a more positive result, people would have thought differently. We worked very hard, tried our best, and showed a positive attitude, so the defeat made people feel somewhat disappointed."

We all understand that positive results would boost your confidence. Of course, we have to accept that we haven't achieved that yet. I always encourage you all, telling you that we try our best, but in the end, the team loses.”

Since October 2023, the Vietnamese national team has played a total of 9 matches but only managed one win, suffering 8 defeats. The 68-year-old coach understands the pressure on him and his players. In this situation, the Vietnamese national team needs to improve its performance.

He said: "We will continue to improve and move on to the next task, which is the World Cup qualifiers."

We will now return to Vietnam. You will all rejoin your clubs. We will regroup in March to prepare for the two matches against Indonesia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. We need to figure out how to make up for the results we missed in March."

Coach Philippe Troussier wants the Vietnamese national team to improve their performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. (Photo: Getty Images)

The Vietnamese team performed well against two strong teams, Japan and Iraq, but it wasn't enough to earn any points. In the most important match – against Indonesia – Troussier's team was a major disappointment, both in terms of performance and result.

However, the head coach of the Vietnamese national team continued to encourage the players. He reiterated that the team's goal is not just to win, but also to play in a way that leads to victory, to control the game, and to overcome the opponent's pressure.

The Vietnamese team has had moments where they met expectations – for example, when scoring goals against Japan and Iraq – but they need to maintain that performance and show more in subsequent matches.

"You guys fought until the very last minute. That's the spirit we need to maintain. We're still on the same path. All we need is a good result," Coach Troussier shared. The French coach wants the players to reflect on each match to learn from their mistakes.

Phuong Mai

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