U.23 Vietnam's ultimate weapon in the Asian qualifiers

U.23 Vietnam looks to coach Kim Sang-sik again

Despite only preparing for 3 weeks, coach Kim Sang-sik still managed to create a united, disciplined U.23 Vietnam team with a clear playing style to conquer the title at the 2025 U.23 Southeast Asian tournament.

Mr. Kim's way of using troops became a highlight on the championship journey. The Korean coach did not quickly shape the framework, but created an open race, where even players who only played in the first division (like Hieu Minh, Xuan Bac, Anh Quan) could have a starting position, as long as they performed well on the training ground.

PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG

Thanks to the "equalizing" way of using people similar to the Vietnam team, coach Kim Sang-sik has inspired the young players, who have nothing but the desire to improve themselves, to work tirelessly.

Coach Kim Sang-sik's tactical "rubik's cube" ability also helps U.23 Vietnam transform through each match, whether facing opponents with deep defense or fierce pressing.

Because, the opponents in the 2026 Asian qualifiers like U.23 Yemen or U.23 Singapore are not easy. 2 years ago, U.23 Vietnam only had a 2-2 draw with U.23 Singapore, after winning U.23 Yemen (1-0) because the opponent missed many opportunities.

In the youth arena, even weak and average football teams have a chance to make a difference. The U.23 Vietnam team created a miracle at the U.23 Asian Cup when they were underdogs, so the whole team must be more cautious against teams that are not considered highly rated.

At that time, Mr. Kim's flexibility and quick adaptation will continue to be the ultimate weapon of U.23 Vietnam, in the context of having to collide with many different football schools and the amplitude of the match is often unpredictable.

Young players are fueled

With the core of the U.23 Vietnam squad having only played in the V-League for a maximum of 2 or 3 seasons and possessing very little experience, each achievement has great spiritual value. Even if it is only the U.23 Southeast Asian Championship, where Vietnamese football has won twice before.

PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG

When Vietnamese football has not been able to create many playgrounds for young players (meaning each year players only play an average of 20 to 25 matches), Hieu Minh and his teammates need to take full advantage of each step to improve themselves, from technical skills to competitive spirit.

The 90 minutes of the final match at the fiery Gelora Bung Karno Stadium against U.23 Indonesia is one of the experiences that U.23 Vietnam needs to go through many more times, to become a tough, hard-to-beat team.

This season, when the "gem mine" PVF-CAND has a place to play in the V-League, or HAGL, SLNA, Hanoi continue to pursue the policy of using self-trained young players, the opportunity to play for U.23 Vietnam promises to be guaranteed.

Some football teams like Ninh Binh , Hanoi Police Club (CAHN Club) spend money to bring young players back to "intertwine" with the senior players for development... which is also a good sign.

For example, in Ninh Binh, young talent Tran Thanh Trung (who played 62 matches in the Bulgarian national championship, wearing the U.19 and U.21 Bulgarian jerseys) will be coached by senior Hoang Duc. Or at CAHN Club, young central defender Ly Duc will learn a lot, when competing with central defenders Viet Anh, Dinh Trong or Adou Minh.

The fact that young players are given a stable development roadmap is an opportunity for U.23 Vietnam to continue to progress. In the 2026 U.23 Asian qualifiers, coach Kim's team will present a more complete and attractive version.