Coach Cristiano Roland: 'U17 Vietnam fought with all their hearts'
Despite failing to qualify for the 2025 World Cup after a disappointing draw against the UAE U17s, coach Cristiano Roland still had words of praise and pride for his players. For him, the journey at the 2025 AFC U17 Championship Finals was a turning point in the maturity of the generation of young Vietnamese players.
Closing the journey at the 2025 AFC U17 Championship Finals with a 1-1 draw against strong opponent UAE U17, the Vietnam U17 team failed to win a ticket to the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup. In the post-match sharing session, head coach Cristiano Roland could not hide his emotions when talking about what his players had shown throughout the tournament.
“Football always has unpredictable developments at the last minute. We prepared carefully for this match and the players played with all their heart, strength and solidarity. Although the result was not as expected, I am still very proud of the performance of the whole team,” said Mr. Roland.
Faced with regret after the match, the Brazilian strategist quickly spoke up to encourage the young players: “In the locker room, I told the players to keep their heads up. At this age, the most important thing is to gain experience and keep your will. This journey has only just begun, and there is still a long way to go.”
Looking back at the three matches in the tournament, coach Roland highly appreciated the remarkable progress of his players: “From the first days of training to entering the tournament, the whole team has continuously developed. The players have not only matured professionally but also nurtured greater aspirations for their careers. They are the future of Vietnamese football.”
In addition, coach Roland did not forget to thank the Vietnam Football Federation for creating the most favorable conditions for the team's preparation. "From training sessions, friendly matches to professional support, all show serious investment in youth football. With that companionship, I believe Vietnamese football will go further and reap many successes in the future."./.
