U23 Thailand and the nightmare of U23 Indonesia: Where are the glorious days now?

In the semi-finals of the 2025 Southeast Asian U23, U23 Thailand continued their nightmare against U23 Indonesia when they were equalized and then lost 6-7 on penalties.

The nightmare of U23 Thailand

For the third consecutive time, U23 Thailand fell to U23 Indonesia - a result that is no longer shocking but still makes fans of the Golden Temple country feel heartbroken.

From the 32nd SEA Games final in Cambodia with a stain that is hard to wash away to the 2023 Southeast Asian U23 semi-finals, and now another failure.

Jens Raven equalizes for U23 Indonesia. Photo: Kompas

In the semi-finals of the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, U23 Thailand did not lose in 120 minutes (1-1), but had to watch U23 Indonesia get a ticket to the final - to meet U23 Vietnam - after each team performed 8 penalty shootouts (7-6 in favor of the host).

Not only did they miss out on a ticket to the finals, U23 Thailand also lost in terms of game play. From being the powerhouse of Southeast Asian youth football, they are now behind Indonesia and Vietnam.

At Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, U23 Thailand only controlled the ball 30%; 232 passes, the accuracy rate was only 73%. Meanwhile, U23 Indonesia had up to 680 passes (88%).

This number says it all: U23 Indonesia is superior in terms of modern football tactics, technique and confidence.

“We had a lot of chances to score in this match, but we missed the last moment. Maybe we made some mistakes, and that is something we need to improve,” said coach Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul.

Although he still defended his players' playing style and fighting spirit, Mr. Thawatchai was forced to admit: football is not just about performance, but about results. And results do not lie.

When times change

Thailand U23 used to be the “lighthouse” of Southeast Asian youth football. During the period 2013–2017, they dominated absolutely: winning the SEA Games 2013, 2015 and 2017.

However, since 2017, that halo has gradually faded. Seven years have passed and Thailand U23 has not won any regional title.

U23 Thailand once again bowed to U23 Indonesia. Photo: Kompas

SEA Games 2019, they lost in the group stage. SEA Games 2021 and 2023, the "War Elephants" both lost the final to Vietnam and Indonesia. That is proof that times have changed.

Vietnamese youth football has remained stable for nearly a decade. Meanwhile, Indonesia U23 is emerging as a new force.

Along with the development of youth training, Indonesia combines naturalization for success.

Jens Raven, who headed home the equalizer in the recent semi-final, is such a product. The 19-year-old striker was born in the Netherlands before joining Indonesia.

The most worrying thing for Thai football is not just losing, but losing in a familiar way.

2017 was also the last time Thailand U19 won the Southeast Asian U19 Championship. Similarly, the U16 team has been empty-handed in the last 6 tournaments, since winning the regional championship in 2015.

The problem is difficult.

Returning to the recent U23 Southeast Asian semi-final, U23 Thailand was not only eliminated, but also showed limitations in tactical thinking and organizational ability, along with mistakes in defense.

Of course, it cannot be denied that U23 Thailand still has many quality individuals. In the last match, they created some dangerous opportunities, and if they had taken better advantage, they could have solved their opponents in the official match time.

Success is eluded by Thai football. Photo: Changsuek

But in modern football, a few individual highlights are not enough to save a disconnected team.

Coach Thawatchai is currently under great pressure. Despite receiving trust from the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), recent results have made public opinion impatient.

For a long time, the press and many former players have believed that Thailand needs a revolution in the U23 team, as well as other youth teams and the national team – which is facing the risk of not participating in the 2027 Asian Cup.

It's not just about changing the coach, but about starting from the foundation: from player selection and training to a more modern way of thinking about playing football.

Billionaire Nualphan Lamsam – or Madam Pang – faces a difficult task of rebuilding. Notably, since she took the FAT presidency, Thai football has declined dramatically, the women’s team was eliminated from the Asian Cup and the federation’s terms have threatened to sue each other.

"Where are the glorious days now?" , a bitter saying is becoming a reality for Thai football.

Watch the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Football Championship live and in full on FPT Play, visit http://fptplay.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/u23-thai-lan-thua-u23-indonesia-thoi-oanh-liet-nay-con-dau-2425895.html