U22 Vietnam is ready to conquer the throne

With long-term preparation, a stable framework and a spirit of victory, U22 Vietnam entered the 33rd SEA Games with a new look and determination to conquer the men's football gold medal.

New look and preparation journey

The 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 33) will take place in Thailand from December 9-20, 2025. The host country will organize 50 sports with a total of 574 competitions, in which men's football will start earlier, U22 Vietnam will start their journey with U22 Laos on December 3.

Vietnam U22 players actively practice to prepare for SEA Games 33.

To prepare for the goal of regaining the gold medal after a long period of not meeting expectations at the SEA Games arena, Coach Kim Sang Sik has called up 28 players for the final training session. These are the faces carefully selected after an evaluation process lasting more than a year, with the framework maintained stably throughout from the end of 2024.

The most notable point is that this generation of players has experienced many high-quality competition environments. The Vietnam U22 team has participated in the CFA Team China International Football Tournament three times, a playground that brings together strong opponents such as Uzbekistan, Korea and China. These high-intensity matches help young players practice their mettle, ability to read the game and adapt to tactics.

However, the team’s preparation journey has also encountered many difficulties. The biggest loss is the knee ligament injury of midfielder Nguyen Van Truong, the team’s spiritual leader and mainstay in the team’s playing style for the past year.

After the injury at the Panda Cup 2025 friendly tournament, Van Truong was forced to undergo surgery and will definitely be absent from the 33rd SEA Games.

Without Van Truong, coach Kim Sang Sik has to adjust his tactical plan, reallocate the midfield roles and give more opportunities to young players. However, filling the void left by Van Truong is a big challenge.

Coach Kim Sang Sik affirmed: "We lost an important link in our playing style, but that cannot change the team's goal. Two important players, Dinh Bac and Minh Phuc, have been allowed to join the team early by their home clubs. Both play an important role in balancing the midfield and creating tactical depth for the team in decisive matches."

Adjust tactics, expect from the team

The absence of Van Truong forced U22 Vietnam to enter SEA Games 33 with a new tactical structure. According to coach Kim Sang Sik, the team will prioritize mid-range pressing, instead of comprehensive high-range pressing like in the previous stage, to ensure stability in the midfield. "We still pursue a proactive playing style but need to calculate more carefully about when to create pressure," coach Kim Sang Sik emphasized.

According to Mr. Tran Anh Tu, Vice President of the Vietnam Football Federation, despite some difficulties in terms of personnel, the team is still on track with the plan that was established early on. Continuous training sessions, international matches and stability in training methods are considered the foundation for U22 Vietnam to confidently enter the 33rd SEA Games.

This is not only a campaign to regain the men's football gold medal after many years of waiting, but also an opportunity to reposition Vietnamese youth football on the regional map. With serious preparation, flexible tactics and disciplined fighting spirit, U22 Vietnam is expected to bring a convincing performance and be able to compete for the championship.

On the contrary, many experts consider this the right time for the team to increase flexibility in playing style.

According to expert Doan Minh Xuong, not having Van Truong is a big loss but opens up opportunities for U22 Vietnam to build a more diverse playing style. If the team operates well, it will be difficult to predict like in previous tournaments.

"SEA Games is fierce because of the element of surprise. The most important thing for U22 Vietnam is not only tactics, but also courage when facing difficulties," said Mr. Xuong.

The general assessment from experts is that U22 Vietnam possesses a generation of players with better technical foundation, modern tactical thinking and benefit from the dense international competition. However, the points that need to be improved are the ability to finish and mental stability in key matches.

Coach Kim Sang-sik also shared with determination: "I have complete confidence in the current team. We are not only preparing for the 33rd SEA Games but also aiming for a long-term vision in the U23 Asia. But in the immediate future, the team will fight with the highest goal."

The biggest challenge is overcoming yourself

SEA Games 33 men's football initially had 10 teams, divided into 3 groups, in which one group would have 4 teams and two groups would have 3 teams. However, due to U22 Cambodia's withdrawal, men's football has 9 teams left, each group has only 3 teams.

Match schedule of U22 Vietnam

- U22 Vietnam - U22 Laos (4:00 p.m. December 3).

- U22 Vietnam - U22 Malaysia (4:00 p.m. December 11).

U22 Vietnam is in Group B with Malaysia and Laos. This is a highly competitive group as only the 3 group winners and the best second-placed team will advance to the semi-finals.

The opening match against U22 Laos is an opportunity for the team to start smoothly. Winning, even winning big, is a must to create an advantage in terms of goal difference and mentality before entering the decisive match with Malaysia.

Malaysia is a tough opponent, having announced a list of 25 players with many names rich in regional experience, notably striker Fergus Tierney, a familiar face in Malaysian youth football. Coach Nafuzi Zain even declared his ambition to eliminate Vietnam right from the group stage. However, in terms of squad quality as well as preparation, U22 Vietnam is still considered to be superior.

If they pass the group stage, U22 Vietnam will likely face the two biggest powers in the region, Thailand or Indonesia.

Meanwhile, U22 Thailand owns many young talents playing in Thai League such as Sirapop Wandee or Chawalwit Saelao. With home field advantage, Thai football is aiming to reclaim the top spot in the region after 8 years of waiting.

Striker Nguyen Thanh Nhan said that he and his teammates are gradually adapting to the training pace in the first days of the group. After three days of working with the coaching staff, the whole team has begun to get used to the high intensity that coach Kim Sang Sik applies to help the players maintain the best physical foundation before entering the 33rd SEA Games.

Assessing the competition at SEA Games 33, Thanh Nhan believes that Indonesia and Thailand are still the two strongest opponents for U22 Vietnam. However, he believes that the team's biggest challenge does not lie with the opponent but with each player himself. "We need to overcome ourselves, improve every day to aim for the gold medal," Thanh Nhan shared.

List of 23 players participating in SEA Games 33

- Goalkeepers: Tran Trung Kien, Nguyen Tan, Cao Van Binh.

- Defenders: Vo Anh Quan, Nguyen Hieu Minh, Dang Tuan Phong, Pham Ly Duc, Nguyen Duc Anh, Nguyen Nhat Minh.

- Midfielders: Le Van Thuan, Nguyen Thai Son, Nguyen Xuan Bac, Nguyen Cong Phuong, Khuat Van Khang, Pham Minh Phuc, Le Viktor, Nguyen Phi Hoang, Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong.

- Forwards: Nguyen Ngoc My, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Quoc Viet, Nguyen Dinh Bac, Nguyen Le Phat.

Source: https://baoxaydung.vn/u22-viet-nam-san-sang-chinh-phuc-ngoi-vuong-19225120221390657.htm