Vietnamese football dominates the region, and the challenge lies in breaking the Jordanian jinx.
Regional media acknowledge Vietnam's number one position in 2025, while coach Kim Sang Sik and his team face pressure to break the historical jinx against Jordan at the AFC U23 Asian Championship.
2025 concluded with significant achievements for Vietnamese football in the region. According to an analysis by Superball (Indonesia), Vietnam established absolute dominance by winning all three of the most important titles: the AFF Cup and the SEA Games 33 Gold Medal. This strong rise occurred against the backdrop of Thai football being considered to be in decline after three consecutive years without a trophy.
Pressure from the past and the challenges at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.
Despite being at the top of the region, the Vietnam U23 team still faces challenging historical statistics. According to the schedule recently confirmed by the AFC, coach Kim Sang Sik's team will play the opening match of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship against Jordan U23 on the afternoon of January 6th. Notably, the head-to-head history in youth tournaments favors the West Asian representative, as Vietnam has never won against them (1 draw, 1 loss).
Thailand's coach Thawatchai, in the latest training session, also admitted to being haunted by the defeat against Vietnam in the SEA Games 33 final. Overcoming the psychological barrier and breaking the unfavorable statistics will be key for the Vietnam U23 team to harbor hopes of progressing further in the group, which includes the defending champion Saudi Arabia.
Rigorous preparations in Qatar
Currently, the Vietnam U23 team is in Qatar undergoing a high-intensity training program to adapt to the time zone and climate. Coach Kim Sang Sik particularly emphasized discipline and asked the players to temporarily forget the glory of the SEA Games. Their next friendly match opponent is Syria, a quality opponent to assess their strength before the official campaign begins.
Personnel changes and disciplinary actions in the V-League.
The domestic transfer market also saw some notable developments. Da Nang FC officially parted ways with central defender Kim Dong-su after the first half of the 2025-2026 V-League season ended. Despite only playing 12 matches, the South Korean player left a significant void in the team's defense with his intelligent and tenacious playing style.
In other news, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) continues to tighten its disciplinary measures. Coach Dinh Van Dung of the U19 Ha Tinh team has just received a six-match coaching ban and a fine for assaulting a referee. In addition, five players from the U19 Be Tong 26 Gia Lai team have been suspended for the remainder of the tournament for underperforming, affecting the integrity of the youth competition.
In the Futsal arena, the Vietnam U19 team recently suffered a disappointing defeat against Malaysia in the third-place match of the 2025 Southeast Asian Futsal Championship after a tense penalty shootout. This result demonstrates the remarkable progress of regional rivals, highlighting the need for more systematic investment strategies in Vietnamese football for future generations.