U23 Vietnam sets series of records after winning the 2025 Southeast Asian Championship

VHO - Defeating U23 Indonesia 1-0 right at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on the evening of July 29, U23 Vietnam not only successfully defended the championship but also set a series of impressive milestones in the history of Southeast Asian youth football.

The first time a team won three consecutive championships

With the victory at this year's tournament, U23 Vietnam has become the first team to win the Southeast Asian U23 Championship three times in a row: 2022 (under coach Dinh The Nam), 2023 (under coach Hoang Anh Tuan) and 2025 (under coach Kim Sang-sik).

This is not only an impressive series of achievements but also a clear demonstration of the stability, mettle and long-term development orientation of Vietnamese youth football.

In the history of the tournament, no team has been able to repeat this achievement. Thailand and Indonesia – the most formidable opponents – have only won the championship once each (Thailand in 2005, Indonesia in 2019).

Winning the championship three times in three consecutive tournaments, on three different pitches (Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia), against three different opponents in the final (Thailand 2022, Indonesia 2023 and 2025) further affirms the inheritance and international spirit of young Vietnamese players.

Nguyen Quoc Viet - unprecedented "record holder"

A notable detail in this three-time championship journey is the consistent presence of striker Nguyen Quoc Viet. The player currently playing for Ninh Binh Club became the first and only person to date in Southeast Asia to have been part of the U23 regional championship team three consecutive times.

Nguyen Quoc Viet is the only player to win the U23 Southeast Asian Championship three times in a row (Photo: VFF).

This is a rare achievement and very difficult to break in the near future, considering the volatile nature of the U23 age group and the increasingly fierce competition between football teams in the region.

Maintaining stable performance and continuously being included in the strongest squads of U23 Vietnam for three consecutive years also reflects the sustainable development of Quoc Viet - a model for the generation of young players who are striving to become professional.

Coach Kim Sang-sik: “The conqueror” in Thailand and Indonesia

With this championship, Coach Kim Sang-sik entered the history of Vietnamese football as the first coach to win the Southeast Asian championship at both levels: national team and U23 team.

Coach Kim Sang-sik was very happy after winning the U23 Southeast Asian Championship (Photo: VFF).

In less than a year, the Korean strategist has twice brought the Vietnamese teams to the top of the region – once at the 2024 AFF Cup in Thailand, and this time at the 2025 U23 Southeast Asia in Indonesia.

It is worth mentioning that these are two rivals with a rich history and the strongest football development in Southeast Asia in recent years.

Winning the championship at two regional football “fortresses” not only shows the strategic talent of coach Kim Sang-sik, but also demonstrates the spirit, ability to withstand pressure and scientific playing style that he has built for Vietnamese teams – regardless of level.

13 games unbeaten – longest streak in tournament history

Not only did they win the championship, U23 Vietnam also set a record for the longest unbeaten streak in the history of the Southeast Asian U23 Championship: 13 consecutive matches without a loss, lasting from 2019 to 2025.

• In 2019, U23 Vietnam defeated U23 Cambodia in the third place match.

• In 2022, U23 Vietnam won all 4 matches in Cambodia.

• In 2023, coach Hoang Anh Tuan's team continued to be unbeaten in 4 matches in Thailand.

• In 2025, U23 Vietnam under the leadership of coach Kim Sang-sik continued to maintain an unbeaten streak of 4 consecutive matches in Indonesia.

The last time the U23 Vietnam team suffered a defeat in this tournament was in the semi-finals in 2019, when they lost 0-1 to U23 Indonesia. Since then, Vietnamese youth football has continuously affirmed its position and mettle at the regional level.

This unbeaten streak not only demonstrates competitive ability, but also symbolizes a stable competitive spirit, good tactical adaptability and quality of training that has been maintained through many generations.

Vietnam U23 won the Southeast Asian U23 Championship for the third time (Photo: VFF).

The victory of a long process

Behind each championship is a long-term journey, from youth training, coaching strategy to competition system. The fact that U23 Vietnam has maintained its form through three tournaments, under three different coaches, with many successive generations of players, shows the organizational capacity and sustainable development orientation of Vietnamese football in recent years.

The achievements of coach Kim Sang-sik and his team in Indonesia are not only an extension of their achievements, but also lay a solid foundation for Vietnamese youth football to aim for bigger playgrounds: the Asian U23 qualifiers, the 33rd SEA Games and further, the 2028 Paris Olympics.

Watch the full 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Football Championship Mandiri Cup™ on FPT Play, visit http://fptplay.vn

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/u23-viet-nam-thiet-lap-loat-ky-luc-sau-chuc-vo-dich-dong-nam-a-2025-157523.html