AFF Cup 2022 and the unexpected ending.

Thus, in two consecutive AFF Cup tournaments, the Vietnamese national team failed to overcome Coach Polking's Thai team, and this is the most noteworthy "unfulfilled mission" of Park Hang-seo in his five years leading the red-shirted team.

A fierce battle during the match against Thailand in the 2022 AFF Cup final. Photo: Thanh Nien Newspaper

First of all, specifically regarding the 2022 AFF Cup, the task set for coach Park Hang-seo was to lead the Vietnamese national team to the final, and he and his players accomplished it brilliantly by topping their group, beating Indonesia for the first time in 26 years, with Van Lam keeping a clean sheet and Tien Linh undoubtedly being one of the two top scorers (6 goals) of the tournament.

But it wasn't until the two final matches against Thailand that the true state of the team's strength and tactics became apparent, and defeat was inevitable. In reality, the Vietnamese team only played well in one half, scoring one classy goal in the first leg at home. The rest of the match was hampered by flawed tactics in the second half, injuries, poor form, and significant changes in the squad for the second leg… resulting in a defense that was both vulnerable and passive, and an attack that was ineffective.

While Thailand, led by star player Chanathip, caused difficulties and defeat for Vietnam in the 2020 AFF Cup, the 2022 AFF Cup saw a change of leadership with a familiar left-wing player, Theerathon. Playing as a playmaking midfielder, Theerathon truly impressed the Vietnamese team and fans with his talent and composure, consistently contributing to two away goals and scoring the only goal in the second leg. With a star of that caliber, the players around him easily showcase their strengths, and Thailand's victory is well-deserved. Congratulations to Theerathon and the Thai players.

Meanwhile, the stars of the Vietnamese national team under coach Park Hang-seo are still there, but unfortunately, they have not been able to maintain the same form as they did in Changzhou and the 2018 AFF Cup. On the other hand, what brought success to Park Hang-seo and Vietnamese football in the past 3-5 years has made opponents jealous and has almost always caused difficulties for the red-shirted team, especially the Thais, who have enough strength and experience to "read" and neutralize all the strengths that had brought the Vietnamese national team to the top of the region in recent years.

It could be said that only Van Lam, Ngoc Hai, Tien Linh, and to some extent Hung Dung, Hoang Duc, Tien Dung, Duy Manh, Thanh Chung… remain at their usual high level and class. Meanwhile, too many players have lost their form for a long time, such as Van Duc, Van Thanh, Hong Duy, Tuan Anh, Tan Tai, and most recently, surprisingly, Quang Hai. Among the young, newly added players, only Thanh Binh is reasonably good, while Tuan Hai, Viet Anh… have yet to inspire confidence whether they are in the starting lineup or on the bench.

The defeat against Thailand, ultimately, is neither surprising nor "bitter," given their class and experience; the issue is simply how they perform in each tournament. This defeat should be seen as a valuable and necessary lesson for Vietnamese football, after five years of resounding success, to understand its true standing and what steps need to be taken to catch up with regional rivals and reach continental heights.

What Park Hang-seo has brought to Vietnamese football is invaluable, worthy of respect, and should be further developed. However, we must also acknowledge, fully and objectively, especially after two consecutive AFF Cup tournaments that were unsuccessful or only partially successful, that this is not enough, never enough, and if we don't change, we will quickly face even greater failures. We will have to start a new, more difficult journey, perhaps with temporary setbacks, but we must definitely renew and rebuild thoroughly if we hope to achieve anything worthwhile in the future.

Thank you, Mr. Park Hang-seo and the Vietnamese national team players. Everything that has happened – the brilliant successes and the matches that didn't go as planned, even the unhappy ending – will forever remain in the minds of countless Vietnamese, regional, and continental football fans. We wish you good luck on your future endeavors. You have been an indispensable part of Vietnamese football, of the Vietnam-Korea relationship not only in football but also in the friendship, solidarity, and sharing between our two nations...