Theerathon Bunmathan makes shocking statement about AFF Cup

(Dan Tri) - Defender of the Thai national team, Theerathon Bunmathan, confirmed that he no longer wants to play in the AFF Cup.

Theerathon Bunmathan has been absent from the Thai national team for nearly a year. Not only was he absent from the AFF Cup 2024, but he was also not included in the "War Elephants" squad for the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Theerathon Bunmathan announced that he no longer wants to compete in the AFF Cup (Photo: FAT).

When asked about the possibility of leaving the Thai national team, the defender born in 1990 affirmed that he has no intention of retiring. However, he will only participate in major tournaments such as the Asian Cup, World Cup... and has no intention of playing in the AFF Cup anymore.

Theerathon Bunmathan said: “Playing for the Thai national team has been my dream since I was a child. I have never announced my retirement from the national team. I just won’t participate in the AFF Cup anymore. As for big tournaments like the Asian Cup, World Cup or other tournaments, I am still ready to compete.

I also need to perform well at club level. No matter what, my goal is still to play for the national team."

Theerathon Bunmathan's statement has created quite a bit of controversy. Many people believe that the 35-year-old defender underestimates the AFF Cup, which is still considered the target of many Southeast Asian teams. In the 2024 AFF Cup, Thailand lost to the Vietnamese team in the final.

Theerathon Bunmathan has won the AFF Cup 3 times in the past (Photo: FAT).

On the other hand, there are many opinions supporting Theerathon Bunmathan. This player has had enough of the AFF Cup title when he won the tournament three times. They support the view that the Thai team needs to focus on major tournaments, instead of the AFF Cup.

Thailand have little chance of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup. In the qualifying round, they lost 1-3 to their direct competitor Turkmenistan in the first leg. They need to win by 3 goals or more against this opponent to qualify.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/theerathon-bunmathan-tuyen-bo-gay-soc-ve-giai-aff-cup-20250622134145812.htm