Reasons for Vietnam U23's defeat against China U23; Another player leaves Europe to play with Messi.
Vietnam U23 suffered a defeat against China U23 on a day when their opponents dominated the game and capitalized on mistakes. At the same time, the 13th ASEAN Para Games officially opened in Thailand, Manchester City was in turmoil over a statement from Donnarumma's representative, De Bruyne received good news ahead of the 2026 World Cup, and Inter Miami continued to recruit more European players to play alongside Messi. These are some of the notable sports news stories from the past 24 hours.
Reasons why Vietnam U23 lost to China U23
According to the AFC, Vietnam U23 lost 0-3 to China U23 because they failed to control the game, allowing their opponents to effectively capitalize on opportunities and punish defensive errors.
After a closely contested first half, the Chinese U23 team accelerated strongly in the second half, imposing their style of play and scoring from both set pieces and moments of individual brilliance. Peng Xiao's opening goal from a corner kick broke the deadlock, before Xiang Yuwang and Wang Yudong scored in quick succession.
The AFC emphasized that the red card received by the Vietnam U23 team further tilted the situation in favor of the East Asian representative. The 3-0 victory was considered to accurately reflect the game and helped the China U23 team advance to the final to face Japan U23.
The 13th ASEAN Para Games officially opened.
On the evening of January 20th, the opening ceremony of the 13th Southeast Asian Para Games (ASEAN Para Games 13) took place at the 80th Birthday Stadium (Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand).
With the slogan "Together we create pride," the 13th ASEAN Para Games, held from January 20 to 26, brought together athletes from Southeast Asia to compete in 19 sports with 536 events.
The opening ceremony of the 13th ASEAN Para Games featured a highlight showcasing the cultural identity of host country Thailand through three performances themed: "Harmonizing Hearts," "Isaan Pop Rhythms," and "Rhythms of Dreams."
The opening night featured many leading Thai artists, such as country singers Sunaree Ratchasima and Apaporn Nakhonsawan, rapper Milli (Danupha Kanatheerakul), “Keng” Tachaya Prathumwan, and “Gam The Star” – Wichayanee Piaklin, creating a vibrant, emotional atmosphere and spreading a positive spirit.
The ASEAN Para Games 13 torch was carried by Chaiwat Rattana, Phanom Laksanaprim, and Orrawan Kraisingh, before being handed to Saisunee Jaena to light at the cauldron. Saisunee Jaena is a Thai wheelchair fencing athlete who has won five Paralympic gold medals.
The Vietnamese Paralympic team is competing in the 13th ASEAN Para Games with 184 members, including 140 athletes competing in 11 sports. The Vietnamese Paralympic team aims to win 40 to 50 gold medals.
Donnarumma's agent has caused a stir at Man City.
Just six months after Gianluigi Donnarumma joined Manchester City from PSG, his agent Enzo Raiola sparked controversy by publicly leaving open the possibility of the goalkeeper returning to Serie A in the future.
In an interview with Rai Sport, Raiola confirmed that Donnarumma is happy with his environment at Man City, gradually adapting to the Premier League and enjoying the team's project. However, he also revealed that his client had once "joked" about considering his 5-6 years in England as an adventure and did not rule out the possibility of returning to Italy if given the chance.
This statement immediately caused dissatisfaction within Man City. Many fans questioned the timing of Raiola's comment, especially since Donnarumma had settled in and secured the number one position in goal.
Observers believe Raiola's move is not without merit. Given that Man City recently paid Marc Guehi a very high salary, Donnarumma, despite being the highest-paid goalkeeper in the Premier League (£250,000 per week), still earns less than some other stars in the squad.
It's highly likely this is the agent using the media to maintain Donnarumma's value and put pressure on negotiations, forcing Man City to consider raising his salary, given his impressive form.
De Bruyne will be fit for the 2026 World Cup.
Kevin De Bruyne still has a chance to participate in the 2026 World Cup as his injury recovery process is going better than expected.
According to Napoli's medical team, the Belgian midfielder could return to training with the rest of the team in late February or early March, following surgery on his right hamstring in late October 2025. If no complications arise, De Bruyne will have enough time to regain his fitness and rhythm before the crucial stage of the season.
This good news is especially important for the Belgian national team, which has already qualified for the 2026 World Cup. At 33 years old, De Bruyne is still expected to be a difference-maker thanks to his class and experience in big matches.
More players leave Europe to play alongside Messi.
Inter Miami continues to strengthen its squad by reaching an agreement to sign forward Tadeo Allende from Celta Vigo.
According to AS, the deal was completed for a transfer fee of under 5 million euros. The agreement between the parties was actually reached at the beginning of January.
Allende's permanent transfer to Inter Miami allowed him to continue playing alongside Messi, while also opening up new opportunities in his career in North American soccer. In the 2025 season, Allende played for Inter Miami and had an impressive performance with 24 goals in 54 matches for the MLS representative.
The excellent chemistry between Messi and Allende led Inter Miami to decide to spend money to buy the Celta Vigo striker outright. Allende himself also expressed excitement at the prospect of playing alongside his compatriot superstar for the long term.
Allende is the latest player to leave European football to play in the United States. Prior to him, names like Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Rodrigo De Paul also left La Liga to become teammates with Messi at Inter Miami.
Besides Allende, Inter Miami is also targeting Giovani Lo Celso of Real Betis to strengthen their midfield. Playing alongside Messi at Inter Miami could increase Lo Celso's chances of participating in the 2026 World Cup. The midfielder currently has a contract with Real Betis until June 2028. He will return to Betis from Tottenham in 2024 for a fee of €5 million.
If the deal goes through, Lo Celso will reunite with Messi, Allende, and De Paul at Inter Miami, becoming the eighth Argentinian player in the MLS champions' squad, alongside Mateo Silvetti, Gonzalo Luján, Tomás Avilés, and Óscar Ustari.
At 29 years old, Lo Celso is still young and maintains a high level of performance compared to the average MLS player.
