On January 10, Coach Kim Sang-sik returned to Korea and brought his wife and children to Vietnam for Tet.

This is not an easy thing for a coach coming from another country, where both culture and lifestyle are very different. "In the first days when I came to Vietnam, I felt very lonely and missed my family. This was not an easy experience, because I had to adapt to a new culture and working environment. However, over time, I gradually got used to it and felt more comfortable. The enthusiasm and love from the fans also helped me overcome the initial difficulties," Mr. Kim shared.

Mr. Kim had some sweet moments.

Photo: Ngoc Linh

Coach Kim also said that after the AFF Cup, he will take time off to recharge his batteries and spend more time with his family. Notably, Coach Kim Sang-sik plans to bring his wife and children to Vietnam to experience the culture and life here. "I want to bring my wife and children to Vietnam so that they can experience the life and culture in this country. Maybe during the upcoming Lunar New Year, we will make this trip. I believe this will be a great experience for my family," Mr. Kim expressed.

Before Mr. Kim returns home on January 10, let's review the journey he has gone through with the Vietnamese team at the AFF Cup 2024.

All beginnings are hard

Overcoming many storms, and at times being doubted about their ability, the Vietnamese team won the Southeast Asian championship after defeating their rival Thailand. The journey of the team under coach Kim Sang-sik had a difficult start, but had a sweet ending.

The journey of the group stage of the AFF Cup 2024 of the Vietnamese team has not been smooth. After the first 3 matches, the playing style of the team under coach Kim Sang-sik has not convinced the fans. At the time of counting after the 3rd match of the group stage, we still do not know for sure whether we will get a ticket to the semi-finals or not?

Also in these 3 matches, against Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines, the Vietnamese team's performance gradually deteriorated. First was a big 4-1 win over Laos, followed by a narrow 1-0 win over Indonesia, with a late goal by Nguyen Quang Hai in the 77th minute. Next, the Vietnamese team only drew 1-1 with the Philippines. That was a match that coach Kim Sang-sik's team almost lost, if not for a lucky equalizer by midfielder Doan Ngoc Tan in the 7th minute of injury time in the second half.

The Vietnamese team went through quite tough group stage matches.

Also after the match with the Philippines, there was a lot of criticism aimed at coach Kim Sang-sik, aimed at the rotation method that the Korean coach implemented. It was not until the 4th match of the group stage against Myanmar that everything changed. From the 4th match of the group stage on December 21, 2024, the Vietnamese team had another naturalized striker, Nguyen Xuan Son. From here, the appearance of the Vietnamese team was completely different.

Coach Kim Sang-sik's team won 5-0 against Myanmar, winning the right to enter the semi-finals as the first team in Group B. The first position in Group B helped the Vietnamese team avoid the number one candidate for the championship, and also the first team in Group A, Thailand in the semi-finals. This helped increase the chances of the Vietnamese team going far. The opponent of the Vietnamese team in the semi-finals is Singapore, a team with a modern playing style, but in terms of personnel, it cannot be compared to the Vietnamese team.

A 5-0 victory in the group stage against Myanmar helped coach Kim Sang-sik and his team take the top spot.

Accelerating strongly with Nguyen Xuan Son before reaching the finish line

Since his debut and scoring two goals against Myanmar in the group stage, Nguyen Xuan Son has continued to score in the following matches of the Vietnamese team. He gradually rose to the top of the list of top scorers and won this title in this year's tournament.

Xuan Son is the highlight that the Vietnamese team found at the right time on the journey to the Southeast Asian championship. With Nguyen Xuan Son in the striker position, the Vietnamese team's attacks find their destination. Our attacks when Xuan Son is present on the field have a clearer purpose. This player is the point of attracting the ball and attracting the opponent's defenders, helping his teammates in the Vietnamese team to operate easily.

Vietnam team is stronger with the appearance of Xuan Son

When Xuan Son accelerated, the Vietnamese team also accelerated. Coach Kim Sang-sik's team strongly defeated Singapore in both semi-final matches. In the first leg, we won 2-0 at the opponent's Jalan Besar Stadium. In the second leg, we won 3-1 at Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho). In the end, the Vietnamese team won with a total score of 5-1 after 2 semi-final matches, earning the right to enter the final.

In the first leg of the final, the Vietnamese team beat Thailand 2-1 at Viet Tri Stadium. This was a very important premise both psychologically and in terms of score, helping coach Kim Sang-sik's team complete the overall victory after 2 final matches, winning the AFF Cup 2024 championship.

Convincing championship in Thailand

For the second time in history, the Vietnamese team defeated Thailand in the AFF Cup final. Thanks to the victory in this year's tournament, the Vietnamese team has surpassed Thailand in terms of head-to-head record in the finals of Southeast Asian championships: we beat them twice (AFF Cup 2008 and 2024), losing only once (in 2022). Vietnamese football has also won the AFF Cup for the third time in history (2008, 2018 and 2024).

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngay-101-hlv-kim-sang-sik-ve-han-quoc-va-dua-vo-con-sang-viet-nam-vao-dip-tet-185250107184741321.htm