U16 Vietnam on the way to China to play host team

U16 Việt Nam - Ảnh 1. — Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the coaching staff of Vietnam U16 continue to train a new generation of young players - Photo: VFF

At the 2025 CFA Team China International U16 Tournament taking place in Hohhot (Inner Mongolia), China, Vietnam U16 is scheduled to compete against Australia U16 (1:00 p.m. on May 28), China U16 (6:35 p.m. on May 30) and Saudi Arabia U16 (1:00 p.m. on June 1).

To prepare for the tournament, coach Cristiano Roland and his team have been gathering since mid-May, having 3 practice matches with U17 Hanoi, Bac Ninh and U17 Viettel to perfect their playing style.

On the morning of May 25, the whole team left for Hohhot city (Inner Mongolia).

Before departure, the team also finalized the list of 24 official players participating in the tournament.

Six players left the team, including: goalkeeper Vu Duy Anh, defender Le Nguyen Khanh, Nguyen Bao Nam, midfielder Tran Ngoc Son, Bui Gia Huan and Phan Anh Luc.

Coach Cristiano Roland encouraged the players: "The final list stage is always the most difficult. The coaching staff must choose from a group of quality players, finding those who best suit the team's playing style.

Up to this point, the whole team has performed very well. This is just the beginning of a long journey towards the 2026 AFC U17 qualifiers. Players who are not on the list still have many opportunities ahead."

According to the plan, U16 Vietnam will have 2 days of training to get used to the competition conditions in Hohhot city (Inner Mongolia), China. The team's head of delegation at this tournament is VFF Deputy General Secretary Nguyen Minh Chau.

At this tournament, coach Cristiano Roland hopes: "The three opponents are all very strong, so the requirements for the playing attitude and fighting spirit of the U16 Vietnam team are very high. These three matches will also help the players understand what level they have reached at the Asian level. Because after this tournament, we will continue to prepare for the U17 Asian qualifiers."