"Don't think of yourself as a young player."
The Vietnamese national team has concluded its journey at the 2023 Asian Cup. Their goal of advancing beyond the group stage was not achieved. Coach Philippe Troussier offered words of encouragement to the entire team. Captain Do Hung Dung also shared his thoughts, boosting the morale of his teammates.
Hung Dung shared: “The Vietnamese national team did not achieve the desired results at the 2023 Asian Cup. We participated in the tournament with a squad that included many players making their debut. But for me, whether the players played or not, we all tried our best in every training session, from the first day to the last. Your efforts and dedication deserve recognition. Let's be proud that we have given our best for the country. Although we lost, everyone tried their best until the very last minute, even with fewer players. Not every national team can do that, and that is something I am very proud of.”
Hung Dung is 31 years old this year.
The captain of the Vietnamese national team said this might be his last Asian Cup. “I’m an older player. This might be the last Asian Cup I’ll participate in. I’m very happy to be alongside you all,” the midfielder, born in 1993, confided.
Hung Dung hopes that from the next training camp onwards, the Vietnamese national team will be a stronger and more ambitious team. “In this tournament, many players in the Vietnamese national team were only considered young talents. But I want that from the next training camp, no one will call you young players anymore. Because you have already gained experience in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the 2023 Asian Cup. The national team has no age boundaries. We only have players who are in top form and contribute their best to the team. There are no young or old players because we are all one team,” said the player currently playing for Hanoi FC.
"At the next training camp, some people may or may not be called up."
Hung Dung believes that everyone has worked hard and trained persistently for the past 8-9 months in preparation for the 2023 Asian Cup. There are things the Vietnamese team has achieved and things it hasn't, but the spirit is fantastic. The Vietnamese team is a unified unit, and Hung Dung hopes this will be maintained.
Hung Dung wants to beat Indonesia again in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Hung Dung confided: “In the next round, some players will be called up and some won't, but what has happened is a beautiful memory. The important thing is that we have the opportunity to continue. A defeat is not a problem. Tomorrow the sun will rise again and we will go back to training, fighting for what awaits us. For a player, being able to play football is the greatest thing.”
“Now it’s time for us to look forward to March. Nothing would be better than Vietnam settling the score with Indonesia. I hope so. The recent defeat was something nobody wanted. Let’s remember why we lost. This March, we’ll be ready to face them again, cheered on by tens of thousands of their fans. Let’s fight with even more ferocity,” Hung Dung emphasized.
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