Having achieved the goal of winning a "treble" in 2025, including winning the U23 Southeast Asian Championship, the SEA Games 33 gold medal, and qualifying for the 2026 U23 Asian Championship finals, the Vietnam U22 team has demonstrated maturity and progress in both professional skills and mentality.
Kim's military tactics
Having arrived in Vietnam in 2024, coach Kim Sang-sik's professional competence has been questioned. Many viewers predict that the 49-year-old South Korean strategist will find it difficult to escape the "shadow" of his compatriot and colleague, Park Hang-seo.
But in just over a year of leading Vietnamese football, Mr. Kim gradually unlocked the potential of promising players, building a team with consistent skill and professional quality, and capable of becoming the next generation to lead the national team in the near future.
Not only did Coach Kim Sang-sik contribute to Vietnam's U22 team winning the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship and qualifying for the 2026 Asian U23 Championship with a perfect record in the qualifiers, but he also boldly gave opportunities to talented U22 players to join the national team, train, and compete during FIFA Days.
During this short period, Mr. Kim not only "revived" the high-level competitive spirit for young players such as Nguyen Dinh Bac, Khuat Van Khang, Nguyen Quoc Viet, Nguyen Phi Hoang, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Thai Son..., but also discovered many promising talents: Nguyen Xuan Bac, Tran Trung Kien, Nguyen Hieu Minh, Pham Ly Duc, Viktor Le, Pham Minh Phuc, Nguyen Ngoc My and Le Van Thuan...
Coach Kim Sang-sik. (Photo: NGOC LINH)
Whether they are young stars or emerging talents, the aforementioned players can be substituted or taken off the field at any time by coach Kim Sang-sik if they are not in good form or not mentally ready to play. Therefore, under coach Kim, the young players all strive to train hard, demonstrate professionalism to impress the coaching staff, and show enthusiasm and dedication whenever they get the chance to play.
Thanks to this, coach Kim Sang-sik currently possesses a U22 Vietnam squad with depth and professional quality, making it easier to rotate the team, develop tactical strategies, and select the appropriate starting lineup depending on each opponent and the developments on the field.
Motivation for the 2026 U23 Asian Championship
Unity and mutual understanding were the foundation that helped the Vietnam U22 team defeat the Thailand U22 team, creating the most impressive comeback victory in SEA Games history.
Many commentators even remarked that the SEA Games 33 men's football final was more dramatic than the second leg of the ASEAN Cup 2024 final between the two national teams, which also took place at the Rajamangala Stadium in January 2025.
Through this emotionally charged journey to victory, the U22 Vietnam players have gained more experience, confidence, and maturity to step out into the "big leagues." Standing on the top podium twice in a row in the U22 and U23 Southeast Asian tournaments in 2025 shows that U22 Vietnam is aiming to reach continental heights.
Winning the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games has given the Vietnam U22 team a boost of motivation ahead of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. (Photo: NGOC LINH)
During training camps, tours, and matches against strong Asian teams, the Vietnam U22 team has consistently demonstrated a high level of skill, no longer being considered underdogs in the continental youth arena.
After the SEA Games 33, coach Kim Sang-sik's team will have a short recovery period before regrouping to prepare for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals, which will take place in January 2026.
The coaching staff is expected to retain the core team that won the SEA Games gold medal to compete in the tournament in Saudi Arabia. In addition, coach Kim Sang-sik may add some veteran players who were absent from the SEA Games 33 due to injuries.
"Within a year, I've led two Vietnamese national teams to championships. Therefore, I feel incredibly happy to have won the gold medal at this SEA Games. The players didn't give up, even when they were trailing by a large margin. It was this fighting spirit that helped the team achieve this proud result," Coach Kim Sang-sik shared his feelings.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/niem-tin-vao-lua-u22-viet-nam-196251219210920793.htm
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