AFF announces Southeast Asian star squad to play Manchester United
AFF has finalized the list of Southeast Asian stars to play Manchester United. The Vietnamese team has 4 players, however, there were some last-minute changes.
On May 28, 2025, the ASEAN All-Stars will have a memorable match against the famous Manchester United club at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Malaysia. The match is not only an opportunity for Southeast Asian stars to show their talents to the world, but also a meaningful event, aiming to raise charity funds for the YASA organization.
In the list of 23 selected players, Vietnam and Thailand together contributed 4 excellent names, alongside representatives from across the region.
According to the official announcement of the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF), the Vietnam National Team is included in the ASEAN All-Stars squad with 4 players: defender Do Duy Manh and midfielder Nguyen Hai Long (Hanoi Club), midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc (Phu Dong Ninh Binh), and defender Nguyen Van Vi (Nam Dinh Green Steel). Of which, Hai Long and Van Vi are the faces added after midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai (Hanoi Police) withdrew due to being busy competing in the Shopee Cup 2024/25 final.
On the Thai side, the national team also contributed 4 players, including goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai, midfielders Peeradon Chamratsamee, Benjamin Davis and Worachit Kanitsribampen. Notably, defender Nicholas Mickelson was initially on the list but was denied permission to play by Odense (Denmark), forcing the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) to replace him with Worachit and Davis.
The personnel changes are not limited to Vietnam and Thailand. Malaysia lost the duo Dominic Tan and Ezequiel Aguero for similar reasons and only had goalkeeper Haziq Nadzli to represent them, while Cambodia were forced to replace suspended striker Andres Nieto with Abdel Coulibaly. Indonesia also faced difficulties when the services of key duo Asnawi Mangkualam and Muhammad Ferarri were uncertain due to scheduling conflicts in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
As the match took place right before the FIFA Days in June, player selection was subject to the approval of the respective clubs as well as the plans of the national team head coaches. This caused the ASEAN All-Stars squad to be repeatedly affected and adjusted.
The friendly match between the ASEAN All-Stars and Manchester United is part of the Maybank Challenge Cup, which aims to raise funds for the YASA charity, which supports youth and disadvantaged communities in Malaysia. This is a rare occasion when a combined squad of the best players in Southeast Asia is formed to face a world-class club like Man Utd.
Coach Kim Sang-sik, who is currently leading the Vietnam national team, will take on the role of captain of the ASEAN All-Stars Team. He has been given full authority by the AFF to build the squad based on the proposals of the 12 member associations, including Australia, a new member but not yet sending players to participate this time.
The Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, the venue for the match, is one of the largest in Asia with a capacity of up to 85,000 seats. Tickets for the match will be issued in 7 denominations, ranging from 50 Ringgit (about 290,000 VND) to 1,500 Ringgit (about 8.8 million VND).
ASEAN All-Stars line-up against Manchester United (tentative)
- Goalkeeper (2):
Patiwat Khammai (Thailand), Haziq Nadzli (Malaysia) - Defender (5):
Asnawi Mangkualam, Muhammad Ferarri (Indonesia)
Do Duy Manh, Nguyen Van Vi (Vietnam), Kan Mo (Cambodia), Irfan Fandi (Singapore) - Midfielder (8):
Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Hai Long (Vietnam)
Maung Maung Lwin (Myanmar), Azwan Ali Rahman (Brunei)
Peeradon Chamratsamee, Benjamin Davis, Worachit Kanitsribampen (Thailand) - Forward (3):
Bounphachan Bounkong (Laos), Abdel Coulibaly (Cambodia), Joao Pedro (Timor Leste)
