Vietnam U23 team reviews its squad

(NLDO) - At 10:00 p.m. on October 9, the U23 Vietnam team will enter the first friendly match against U23 Qatar taking place in the United Arab Emirates.

On the occasion of FIFA Days in October 2025, the Vietnam U23 team will be given the opportunity to train and practice in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Coach Dinh Hong Vinh and his team will have two friendly matches with the Qatar U23 team in the UAE.

In this meeting, the Vietnam U23 team lacked many key players for various reasons. In addition to Dinh Xuan Tien and Nguyen Ngoc My, who were absent due to not having time to recover from injuries, 8 key players who played prominently in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers were called up by coach Kim Sang-sik to the Vietnam team to participate in two matches against Nepal in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup.

Vietnam U23 has successfully completed two key tasks in 2025: successfully defending the "throne" of the Southeast Asian U23 Championship and winning a place to participate in the 2026 Asian U23 Finals. During the training camp in the UAE, the coaching staff wanted to review the force, test the squad and evaluate the players' professional quality, before building a force to participate in the 33rd SEA Games as well as the 2026 Asian U23 Finals.

At the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, Vietnam is in Group A with host Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan. This is a highly competitive group and all three opponents of U23 Vietnam have their own strengths.

Saudi Arabia not only has home advantage but is also a top contender for the championship. Therefore, competing for one of the two spots in Group A to enter the quarterfinals of the tournament is a thorny task for U23 Vietnam.

Coach Dinh Hong Vinh said: "Being able to compete with high-level opponents like U23 Qatar will be very useful for young Vietnamese players. These two matches will help the coaching staff better assess their potential, adaptability and identify more high-quality players, thereby preparing well for the next training sessions."

The training trip in the UAE is an important step in the comprehensive preparation plan that the Vietnam Football Federation has built for the Vietnam U23 team, to help the young squad continue to develop, accumulate international experience and aim for new achievements.

After the training trip in the UAE, U23 Vietnam will participate in the international U23 friendly tournament in China in November 2025. This tournament is expected to gather many strong teams from the continent, creating conditions for young Vietnamese players to accumulate experience, confidence and maturity before entering the big playground.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tuyen-u23-viet-nam-ra-soat-luc-luong-196251009150640169.htm