Dinh Bac receives special honor after his remarkable achievement at the SEA Games 33.
Striker Nguyen Dinh Bac was awarded a Certificate of Merit after his outstanding performance, while the Vietnam U23 team has assembled to prepare for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship.
Hanoi Police FC striker Nguyen Dinh Bac has just been awarded a Certificate of Commendation by the Minister of Public Security for his outstanding performance, which significantly contributed to the Vietnam U22 team winning the Gold Medal at the 33rd SEA Games. This is well-deserved recognition for the efforts and contributions of this young player.
On his personal page, Dinh Bac expressed his pride and happiness, considering this a lifelong honor. He had an explosive tournament, becoming the leader of the U22 Vietnam attack and receiving the "Man of the Match" award in three consecutive matches against U22 Laos, U22 Malaysia, and U22 Philippines.
The influence is spreading throughout the region.
Nguyen Dinh Bac's impressive performance not only captivated domestic fans but also resonated strongly with regional media. Thai newspapers showered the 2004-born striker with praise. The Thairath newspaper described his goal in the final as a fateful turning point, and declared Dinh Bac "the new king of Southeast Asian football."
Meanwhile, the defeat against Vietnam U22 in the final remains a major disappointment for Thai sports. Siam Sports ranked the 2-3 comeback loss among the most forgettable events at the SEA Games 33, commenting: "The joy of leading 2-0 was just an illusion. Vietnamese football is rising strongly, while Thailand is resting on its laurels."
Looking forward to the 2026 U23 Asian Championship challenge.
Following their success at the SEA Games, the Vietnam U23 team quickly reconvened on December 23rd at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center to begin their preparation for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.
During the first training session, the coaching staff mainly had the players do light exercises to recover their fitness. However, three players, Nguyen Cong Phuong, Dang Tuan Phong, and Le Van Ha, had to train separately. Cong Phuong and Tuan Phong had just returned from a friendly tournament with Viettel Club, while Van Ha is one of two new players called up by coach Kim Sang-sik.
Speaking to the media, captain Khuất Văn Khang admitted that the Vietnam U23 team is in a difficult group with very strong opponents. He emphasized: “We understand that the opponents in this group are very strong. But the Vietnam U23 team will focus on playing each match, making maximum effort to achieve the best possible results before thinking about further goals.”
VFF's long-term investment strategy
The President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan, affirmed that the success of the national teams in 2025 is the result of a well-planned and long-term investment strategy.
"With this success of the Vietnam U22 team, I believe we have a good foundation for investment. The VFF and coach Kim have identified in-depth and systematic investment to concretize this in the coming years," Mr. Tuan shared about the development direction of Vietnamese football.
