Thai football team goes empty-handed at the 33rd SEA Games after aiming for 4 gold medals.
From aiming to sweep all the gold medals, Thai football experienced a disastrous SEA Games, with the U22 men's team losing to Vietnam, futsal suffering a defeat, and the women's team being eliminated.
From a dream of gold to a tragic loss of everything.
Ahead of the 33rd SEA Games, the President of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), Madam Pang, confidently set the goal of winning all four gold medals in men's and women's football and futsal. This statement reflected the ambition to assert Thailand's absolute dominance in football in the region. However, the Games concluded with an incredibly harsh outcome: Thai football ended empty-handed in all competitions.
The most bitter defeat in the men's football final.
The biggest heartbreak for the Thais came from the men's football final, where the U22 Thai team faced their arch-rivals, the U22 Vietnamese team. Leading 2-0 and almost having the gold medal in their grasp, the young "War Elephants" were unable to maintain their advantage. In a dramatic match, they allowed Coach Kim Sang-sik's team to stage a spectacular comeback, securing a 3-2 victory in extra time. This defeat not only cost them the championship but also dealt a heavy blow to the pride of Thai football.
Collapse on all fronts
The nightmare for Thai football doesn't end on the 11-a-side pitch. In women's football, the team, once considered a major force, was unexpectedly eliminated in the semi-finals, ending their dream of reclaiming the championship title.
Futsal, a source of pride and considered a "gold mine" for Thailand at the SEA Games, also witnessed a complete collapse. The men's futsal team, the top contender for the championship, lost the gold medal to Indonesia after a heavy 1-6 defeat in the decisive match. Meanwhile, the women's futsal team also bowed out in the semi-finals. Notably, this is the first time Thailand has failed to win gold medals in both futsal events at a Southeast Asian Games.
Failing to win any of the four events is one of the most disappointing results in the history of Thai football in regional competitions. This defeat raises serious questions about the development direction of the FAT and Madam Pang personally, while also highlighting the strong rise of competitors like Vietnam and Indonesia, signaling a shift in the power structure of Southeast Asian football.
