Vietnam U23 team and an early Tet gift for coach Kim Sang Sik; Al Nassr wins second consecutive match without Ronaldo.
Vietnamese U23 players continue to be trusted in the V-League, opening up positive signs for the national team's youth rejuvenation process; the Vietnamese women's volleyball team officially participates in the world championship qualifiers; while international football heats up with shocking transfers by Wolves, Barcelona's decision to permanently acquire Rashford, and Al Nassr's impressive victory despite Ronaldo's absence. These are the notable sports news of the past 24 hours.
Vietnam U23 team and an early Tet "gift" for coach Kim Sang Sik.
After concluding the 2026 AFC U23 Championship with many positive achievements, the Vietnamese U23 players returned to their clubs and continued to be given opportunities to play in the V-League. This is considered a welcome sign, bringing an early Lunar New Year "gift" to coach Kim Sang Sik in his journey to rejuvenate Vietnamese football.
Unlike previous periods, when many young players had to return to the bench or even gradually lose their positions after international tournaments, this time many U23 Vietnam players are still trusted and used by their clubs. In the first round after the V-League resumed, a number of U23 players took to the field and made positive contributions to the results and playing style of their respective teams.
Regular competition in a top-tier environment like the V-League helps young players maintain a continuous development pace, narrowing the gap between youth football and professional football. This not only benefits the players themselves but also opens up positive prospects for the future of Vietnamese football.
For coach Kim Sang Sik, the biggest concern in the national team's rejuvenation process used to be the difficulty for U23 players to compete for playing time at their clubs. However, the fact that many players such as Dinh Bac, Van Khang, Thanh Nhan, Xuan Bac, Trung Kien, and Cao Van Binh are trusted and even play important roles at their respective clubs has somewhat relieved the pressure on the South Korean coach.
With young players regularly honing their skills in the V-League, coach Kim Sang Sik will have a ready pool of successors for the Vietnamese national team. This generational transition will therefore occur naturally and sustainably, ensuring both immediate competitiveness and building a long-term foundation.
It can be said that the continued inclusion of Vietnamese U23 players after the AFC U23 Asian Championship is a positive sign and a meaningful "gift" for coach Kim Sang Sik ahead of the new year.
Vietnamese women's volleyball team qualifies for the world championship qualifiers.
The Asian Volleyball Federation (AVC) has confirmed that the Vietnamese women's volleyball team is among the 12 teams participating in the 2026 Asian Volleyball Championship, which will take place in Tianjin, China, from August 21 to 30, 2026.
The tournament brings together the strongest teams in the continent, with the champion earning a direct ticket to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, while the top three teams qualify for the 2027 FIVB World Championship. The best performance of the Vietnamese women's volleyball team in this competition was 4th place in 2023.
Previously, the Vietnamese national team was also confirmed to participate in the AVC Cup 2026 in the Philippines (June 6–14), a tournament that will help accumulate world ranking points for Coach Tuan Kiet's team.
The bottom-placed team in the Premier League caused a shock by selling three key players mid-season.
Wolves surprised experts by selling three players in the mid-season transfer window for a total value of nearly €100 million, despite being bottom of the Premier League table.
Specifically, Crystal Palace spent €55 million to sign striker Jorgen Strand Larsen, Besiktas bought defender Emmanuel Agbadou for €20 million, and Palmeiras reached an agreement to acquire Jhon Arias for €25 million. In less than a week, the "Wolves" offloaded three key players without making any comparable additions.
Notably, Larsen is a key player in Wolves' attack, especially considering the team only has 8 points after 24 rounds, 18 points behind safety. These transfer moves have led many to believe that Wolves are prioritizing financial balance over the relegation battle.
Barcelona are determined to buy Marcus Rashford outright.
According to Diario Sport, Barcelona have decided to activate the buy-out clause for Marcus Rashford from Manchester United for €30 million, following a successful loan spell. The Catalan club are expected to sign a three-year contract with the English striker.
Rashford made his mark by contributing to 23 goals in 33 appearances across all competitions. Barcelona's management believes the €30 million fee is reasonable given the scarcity of quality attacking players in the market.
If the deal goes through, Rashford will officially leave Manchester United to commit to Barcelona long-term, while MU will gain additional funds to support their squad restructuring plans.
Al Nassr won their second consecutive match without Ronaldo.
In the early hours of February 7th, Al Nassr defeated Al Ittihad 2-0 in Round 21 of the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League, demonstrating their continued strength despite the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo from the squad.
Despite the absence of their main striker, Al Nassr played proactively, controlled the game, and created many opportunities, even though they failed to score in the first half. In the second half, the home team's pressure materialized in the 82nd minute when Sadio Mane successfully converted a penalty, before Angelo Gabriel scored the winning goal in injury time.
In the stands, Al Nassr fans continued to show their support for Ronaldo, despite the Portuguese superstar missing his second consecutive match.
This victory gives Al Nassr 49 points, keeping them just one point behind Al Hilal at the top of the table.