Cong Phuong admits the harsh truth about his chance to return to the Vietnam national team; Pogba banned from playing for 4 years for testing positive for doping

Former assistant coach Park Hang-seo becomes technical advisor of the Korean national team

On February 29, the Korea Football Association (KFA) announced the coaching staff of the Korean national team for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in March. Mr. Lee Young-jin - former assistant head coach of the Vietnamese national team - was selected as a technical advisor to interim coach Hwang Sun-hong.

"Mr. Lee Young-jin - a member of the National Team Strengthening Committee, a person familiar with Southeast Asian football thanks to his long-term experience working with the Vietnam team - will support coach Hwang Sun-hong in the role of technical advisor," the KFA announced.

Mr. Lee Young-jin used to be an assistant to coach Park Hang-seo at the Vietnam national team, from 2017 to 2023. Mr. Lee is considered Mr. Park's "right-hand man", his number 1 professional assistant.

Lee Young-jin is a former South Korean football star. During his playing career, he played for FC Seoul, Sangmu, Oita Trinita and Anyang LG Cheetahs. Lee made 50 appearances for the South Korean national team, participating in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups.

In his coaching career, he led Anyang LG Cheetahs, FC Seoul, Daegu FC, Cheongju University and worked as an assistant at the Vietnam national team.

After the 2023 Asian Cup, the Korea Football Association restructured the National Team Strengthening Committee. Mr. Lee and 10 coaches and former players were selected as members, working under Chairman Chung Hae-seong - who used to lead Ho Chi Minh City Club.

Pogba banned from playing for 4 years

Midfielder born in 1993 received a heavy penalty for testing positive for doping.

On the evening of February 29, Goal Italy reported that Paul Pogba will be banned from playing worldwide for the next 4 years. This seems to be the end of the career of the former Man Utd midfielder, because this year he is 31 years old.

Previously, in September 2023, a random sample of Pogba during the match between Juventus and Udinese was determined to have an abnormally high level of testosterone. Pogba's second sample in October also tested positive for doping.

Under the Anti-Doping Act, any player who tests positive for a banned substance will be banned from competition for four years. The penalty will only be reduced if the person receiving the sanction can prove that they did not dope.

Before receiving the punishment, Pogba was suspended. Immediately, Juventus reduced the player's salary from 10 million euros per year to 42,000 euros per year.

Cong Phuong admits the harsh truth about his chance to return to the Vietnamese national team.

A few days ago, there was news that Cong Phuong might be called back to the Vietnam national team after a long absence.

This is even more valid when coach Troussier personally went to Japan to check the performance of the player from Nghe An.

But in a share with Targma (Japan),Cong Phuongsaid that this conversation was not related to his call-up to the Vietnam national team. “Coach Troussier tried to come and watch and check my performance. We talked about many things but not about the Vietnam national team,” Cong Phuong revealed.

The last time the former Hoang Anh Gia Lai star was called up to the Vietnam national team by coach Troussier was during the FIFA event in September 2023. But in the gatherings in October, November and December 2023, he was not included in the list by the “White Wizard”.

Since joining Yokohama FC, Cong Phuong has not played in the J-League. He only played 2 minutes in the 2023 Emperor's Cup. In the 2024 season, even though Yokohama FC is relegated to J-League 2, the chance of the striker born in 1995 entering the main squad is still very small.

Therefore, Cong Phuong thinks he does not have many opportunities to wear the Vietnamese national team shirt at the present time.

Meanwhile, on March 12, the Vietnamese team will gather to prepare for two matches against Indonesia in the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia. The first leg will take place on March 21 at Bung Karno Stadium. Five days later, the two teams will face off at My Dinh Stadium.

AFF Cup 2024 draw date set

On February 29, in Singapore, AFF launched the new logo of the 2024 Southeast Asian Football Championship (AFF Cup 2024). The tournament was renamed from AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup to “ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup TM 2024”.

Also in the announcement, AFF determined the tournament will take place from November 23 to December 21, following the familiar home-away format with 10 participating teams. The AFF Cup 2024 draw will take place on May 21, in Hanoi.

The Thai team is the defending champion of the tournament after defeating the Vietnamese team led by coach Park Hang-seo in the 2-leg final of the AFF Cup 2022. Thus, if nothing changes, Thailand and Vietnam will be the two No. 1 seeds of the tournament and will not be in the same group.

The Vietnamese team is expected to gather on March 12 in Hanoi, after the end of round 13 of the 2023/2024 V-League. Coach Philippe Troussier and his team will have two matches against Indonesia on March 21 (first leg) and March 26 (second leg), within the framework of the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup./.