According to statistics from the transfer website Transfermarkt, the Indonesian team is the youngest in the 2024 AFF Cup with an average age of 21. Meanwhile, the team right behind is the Lao team with an average age of 23.1. However, in the match between the two teams in the second round of Group B, coach Ha Hyeok Jun also used the official lineup with 11 Lao players with an average age of 22.5. This number on the Indonesian side is 21.3.

Thus, Indonesia cannot explain that their 3-3 draw with Laos was because this team was "full of young players". In the starting lineup, Laos only had one player born before 2000, Khochalern. This midfielder is 29 years old and is a rare veteran of the team of the land of a million elephants.

Before the tournament started, Soukaphone Vongchiengkham and Phithack Kongmathilath - two old stars of Laos were both eliminated. The Lao Football Federation also used a squad with many players born in 2004 or later such as Damoth Thongkhamsavath - who has Vietnamese blood; Phetdavanh Somsanid - a central defender who left a strong impression in the two matches against Vietnam and Indonesia.

Notably, striker Peeter Phanthavong, who scored the equalizer to make it 3-3, was born in 2006. He is considered a prodigy of Lao football when he played professionally at the age of 16. This season, he scored 13 goals and had 2 assists in the Lao national championship after only 7 matches. Panyavong - the player who scored the opening goal against Indonesia was born in 2007 and he also set a record for the youngest scorer in the history of the AFF Cup 2024.

Even captain striker Bounphachan Bounkong was born in 2000 but has played for the national team for nearly 7 years.

In contrast to what Laos showed, Indonesia called a young squad but still had stars who had just played in the World Cup qualifiers such as Rafael Struick (2003), Marselino Ferdinan (2004), Muhammad Ferrari (2003) or Donny Tri Pamungkas (2005). Contrary to fans' expectations, Indonesia could be said to have been lucky to escape defeat against an enthusiastic Laos team.