The World Cup dream and a promising generation of U17s.
Following the pride felt from securing a place in the FIFA U17 World Cup 2026 Finals, Vietnamese football is beginning to talk more about a more ambitious goal: participating in a FIFA World Cup at the senior national team level for the first time.
That goal was shared by the President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), Tran Quoc Tuan, after the thrilling victory of the Vietnam U17 team against the UAE U17 team in the final match of Group C at the 2026 AFC U17 Championship. According to Mr. Tuan, the current U17 generation is one of the most promising generations that Vietnamese football is continuing to invest in, aiming for long-term goals in the future, including the FIFA World Cup 2034 qualifying campaign.
For an experienced football manager like Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan, that was probably not just a momentary outburst after an emotional match. Beyond the victory of the Vietnam U17 team lies a long-term plan to realize a dream that has been pursued by many generations of Vietnamese football leaders for many years.
In fact, in the match on the morning of May 14th, the Vietnam U17 team was under immense pressure as the door to qualifying for the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup narrowed after Qatar U17 was eliminated from the AFC U17 Championship. Coach Cristiano Roland's team needed to defeat UAE U17 to secure their place in the quarterfinals and guarantee their participation in the biggest youth football tournament on the planet.
However, the Vietnamese team was quickly dealt a blow when the West Asian representatives scored the opening goal in the very first seconds of the match. Nevertheless, in this most difficult moment, the Vietnam U17 team showed commendable resilience, finding an equalizer at the end of the first half before taking the lead in the second. Even when the UAE leveled the score at 2-2, the spirit of coach Cristiano Roland's players did not waver. On the contrary, the Vietnam U17 team continued to play with determination to score the decisive goal, thus securing a thrilling 3-2 victory against the West Asian representatives.
Not only did the match against UAE create an emotionally charged back-and-forth scoring battle, but it also showcased the significant maturation of the Vietnamese young players in terms of character and mental fortitude. After their defeat against South Korea U17 in the previous match, the entire team quickly bounced back to enter the "final" against UAE with admirable fighting spirit. For such a young team, maintaining confidence and the ability to overcome pressure in crucial moments is truly no easy feat.
Looking at the bigger picture, right from the 2026 U17 Asian Championship qualifiers, this generation of players has shown many positive signs. Under the guidance of coach Cristiano Roland, the Vietnam U17 team won all 5 matches, scoring 30 goals and conceding none. Resounding victories against Singapore, Malaysia, and the Northern Mariana Islands helped the young Vietnamese team secure a place in the finals with an almost perfect record.
Entering the 2026 AFC U17 Championship, the Vietnam U17 team was drawn into a tough group alongside South Korea, Yemen, and the UAE. However, the young Vietnamese players still surprised everyone with their confident play and fighting spirit. Their victory against Yemen in the opening match, their resilient performance against South Korea, and their ability to overcome difficulties against the UAE showed that this is a team with great potential for future development.
Under the guidance of coach Cristiano Roland, the Vietnam U17 team is gradually developing a style of play that is energetic, disciplined, and full of fighting spirit. Victories against Australia, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Yemen, whether in official or friendly matches, have become valuable experiences that help the players mature with each game.
These "rough gems" need polishing.
However, football is always full of variables, and it's difficult to predict a young player's future, especially in a journey spanning nearly a decade towards the 2034 World Cup. For a player, eight years can be almost the entire peak of their career. Not every young talent has the necessary conditions, character, and luck to develop into a major star.
Vietnamese football has also witnessed many promising young players. About 10 years ago, under the guidance of coach Dinh The Nam, the generation of Nguyen Huu Thang, Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong, Nguyen Duy Khiem, and Nguyen Trong Long… made a name for themselves by reaching the quarterfinals of the 2016 AFC U16 Championship. However, not all of those young players were able to develop as expected to become key players in the V.League or the national team.
Professional football is a very demanding sport, especially for young players. After impressive performances for the national team, they may be hailed as the new hopes of Vietnamese football. But when they return to their clubs, the story is completely different.
In the increasingly fierce competitive environment of the V.League, coaches often prioritize experienced players or foreign players with advantages in physique, fitness, and expertise rather than "gambling" on young talents. The increasing number of foreign players and naturalized Vietnamese expatriate players further limits the opportunities for young talents to play.
Not every young player is lucky enough to develop in a suitable environment like Nguyen Dinh Bac at Hanoi Police or Khuat Van Khang at The Cong Viettel ... Infrequent playing time, playing in a low-competition environment, or being affected by long-term injuries can cause many "raw talents" to gradually lose their inherent qualities.
While we can be proud of what the Vietnam U17 team achieved at the 2026 AFC U17 Championship, the most important thing is to create more opportunities for them to continue developing, especially to compete in a top-level football environment.
Young players are like "rough gems," only able to reach their full potential if properly polished. A ticket to the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup could be the start of a hopeful new journey for Vietnamese football. But for the dream of reaching the 2034 World Cup to become a reality, it's not just about discovering talent, but also about creating a suitable environment for those talents to grow and thrive at the highest level of professional football.
The 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 19th to December 13th, 2026, featuring 48 of the world's top youth national teams. This marks the first time FIFA has expanded the number of participating teams at the U17 men's level from 24 to 48, aiming to create more opportunities for the development of youth football. Under the new format, the 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups, with the top teams advancing to the Round of 16. All matches are expected to take place at the Aspire Zone complex in Al Rayyan (Doha), one of Qatar's most modern football centers.
Source: https://cand.com.vn/the-thao/tu-u17-world-cup-den-giac-mo-world-cup-2034-i805270/
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