Vietnam U19 and a stepping stone for the future.

Prepare thoroughly.

To prepare for the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship held in Indonesia from June 1-15, after a period of training in Vietnam, the Vietnam U19 team traveled to Japan for a training camp with 30 players.

Through friendly matches, the Vietnam U19 team has shown some progress in their playing style under coach Yutaka Ikeuchi. The team is moving towards a collective playing style, prioritizing short passes, maintaining team formation, and increasing connectivity between the lines.

U19 Việt Nam hội quân chuẩn bị cho giải U19 Đông Nam Á 2026 diễn ra tại Indonesia từ ngày 1 - 15/6. — The Vietnam U19 team has assembled to prepare for the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship, which will take place in Indonesia from June 1-15.

The draw placed Vietnam U19 in Group A alongside Indonesia, Myanmar, and Timor Leste. Indonesia is considered the biggest challenge, having the home advantage. However, Myanmar and Timor Leste are also formidable opponents. To progress further, Vietnam U19 needs to maintain consistency, minimize mistakes, and capitalize on opportunities against their group opponents.

According to VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan, the U19 team is the direct successor force to the U23 and national teams, playing a foundational role in achieving major goals such as the SEA Games or continental qualifiers.

Therefore, in addition to aiming for the Southeast Asian U19 Championship title, the team also needs to focus on the 2027 Asian U20 Qualifiers, a competition considered particularly important in the development of young players.

A problem for the future

Expert Phan Anh Tú believes that all current youth tournaments aim to serve the future of Vietnamese football. No matter how well-trained a young player is, if they don't get regular playing time and experience, it will be difficult for them to develop comprehensively.

Youth-level competitions help players get used to the pressure of competition, improve their tactical thinking, and gain experience before stepping onto bigger stages in Asia or the world .

Mr. Tú believes that the competitiveness in regional youth tournaments has increased significantly as many football nations in the region have invested heavily in youth development. This makes the tournaments no longer as easy as before, but it creates a very good environment for young Vietnamese players to mature more quickly.

"If Vietnamese football can build a stable youth training system, in which the U17, U19, and U23 teams all maintain positive results, that will be an important foundation for creating a source of quality players for the national team in the future," Mr. Tu shared.

The Vietnam U19 team is training in Japan from May 14th to May 26th with 30 players. The training camp is aimed at preparing for the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship, which will take place in Indonesia from June 1st to June 15th.

On May 16th, the Vietnam U19 team played their first match during their training camp in Japan. They won 2-1 against the Shizuoka Sangyo University U20 team. The goalscorers for the home team were Nguyen Trong Duc Vu and Nguyen Thanh Vinh.

On May 17th, the team played a rematch against the U22 team of this university. The Vietnam U19 team won 3-2, with goals from Thien Phu, Van Bach, and Quoc Khanh.

Assessing the chances of the Vietnam U19 team in this tournament, expert Phan Anh Tú believes that the current U19 squad is capable of competing for the championship if they maintain consistency and develop their full potential. A good performance in this tournament would be an important stepping stone towards the U20 Asian qualifiers.

Sharing the same view, expert Doan Minh Xuong believes that the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship is not simply a title race, but a crucial "test" for the future of Vietnamese football.

Source: https://baoxaydung.vn/u19-viet-nam-va-buoc-chay-da-cho-tuong-lai-192260520130341502.htm