Vietnam U23: The memories remain.

With four consecutive wins, Vietnam U23 convincingly clinched the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship title.

Nguyen Dinh Bac, a shining star.

Nguyen Dinh Bac (7) has affirmed his important role in the journey to win the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship of the Vietnam U23 team. With intelligent movement and sophisticated finishing skills, this young striker became the center of attention in the attack of coach Kim Sang-sik's team.

Born in 2004, Dinh Bac rose through the ranks of Quang Nam FC's youth academy and quickly made his mark in the V-League thanks to his dribbling speed and powerful long-range shots. In this year's regional tournament, Dinh Bac showed remarkable progress in both physical fitness and tactical thinking. Not only did he score crucial goals, but the striker also contributed to the team's overall play with assists and constant pressing, putting significant pressure on the opposing defense.

The striker from Nghe An province participated in all four matches, scoring two goals and providing one assist. In the final match, despite being tightly marked and unable to score, he still contributed to disrupting the Indonesian U23 defense, leading his team to victory. Dinh Bac's impressive performance impressed experts and earned him the title of Best Player of the tournament.

With his tireless fighting spirit, composure in crucial moments, and desire to contribute, Dinh Bac is on his way to becoming a key striker for the national team in the near future.

The U23 Vietnam players are carrying the trophy on their way home. (Photo: VFF)

A new discovery named Nguyen Cong Phuong

Nguyen Cong Phuong (18) made an impression when he scored a "super goal" to help Vietnam U23 defeat Indonesia U23 1-0 in the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship final.

Previously, the 19-year-old midfielder had only played a reserve role in the Vietnam U23 team's lineup at this tournament. The talented player from The Cong Viettel impressed when coach Kim included him in the starting lineup in the semi-final and continued to be favored in the final match.

Despite his young age, Cong Phuong performed quite well in his role as a winger. The player born in 2006 not only possesses speed and skillful technique, but also demonstrates effectiveness in decisive finishing, helping the Vietnam U23 team win the championship.

Having come through the Viettel youth academy, Cong Phuong is a promising talent who quickly gained recognition in the V-League. In this year's tournament, he is the main attacking force in coach Kim Sang-sik's system. Every burst of speed from Cong Phuong causes chaos in the opposing defense, while also creating diverse attacking options for his team.

Nguyen Cong Phuong is expected to continue developing and soon become a key player for the national team. His all-around offensive and defensive abilities, fiery fighting spirit, and composure in decisive situations are making him one of the brightest gems of Vietnamese football.

Tactical adaptability

It was thought that Vietnam's defeat to Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers would put pressure on coach Kim Sang-sik. However, the South Korean strategist proved his tactical prowess through the team's victory at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship.

This achievement is the result of the tenacious fighting spirit and thorough preparation of the Vietnam U23 team over the past month. While acknowledging the considerable pressure of playing away from home against a large home crowd, coach Kim Sang-sik still managed to overcome the challenge, motivate his players, and adapt his tactics quite effectively.

Commenting on the performance of the Vietnam U23 team, Mr. Kim said: "We didn't create many attacking opportunities, but we maintained control of the game and held our ground in defense until the end. The players gave their best and executed the coaching staff's plan perfectly."

With a 1-0 victory in the final, the Vietnam U23 team not only successfully defended their title but also concluded their journey at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship with a record three consecutive wins. This result also earned Coach Kim's team 2 billion VND in prize money.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/u23-viet-nam-con-do-nhung-dau-an-196250730213405854.htm