AFF Secretary General: Vietnamese football is the pride of the region.
At the VFF Congress 2025, AFF Secretary General Winston Lee praised Vietnam's historic hat-trick of titles and affirmed its position in the journey towards the World Cup.
On the morning of December 26th, the 2025 Annual Congress of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) witnessed a significant moment when Mr. Winston Lee – Secretary General of the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) – offered special praise for the remarkable progress of Vietnamese football. Beyond just titles, this leader emphasized a sustainable development structure that is bringing Vietnam closer to its World Cup dream.
An unprecedented hat-trick of titles.
The biggest highlight of Winston Lee's speech was the tribute to the "hat-trick" of titles that Vietnamese football achieved in 2025. Winning consecutive titles at the AFF Cup, the Southeast Asian U23 Championship, and the SEA Games not only affirmed absolute strength at multiple levels but also demonstrated the dominance of Vietnamese football in the region.
“The success of Vietnamese football is not only a source of pride for you but also for the entire Southeast Asian football community,” Mr. Winston Lee emphasized. According to him, these achievements did not come from temporary luck, but are the result of a persistent accumulation of effort and close guidance from state leaders at all levels, along with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
System depth and continental position
In a more in-depth analysis of the technical aspects, the AFF Secretary General highly praised the depth of Vietnam's squad and its youth training programs. The clearest evidence of this is the fact that seven national teams (from youth levels to the men's, women's, and futsal national teams) qualified for the AFC tournament finals in a single year. This is considered a historic milestone, establishing a solid position for Vietnamese football on the continental map.
Besides its professional expertise, the VFF's international prestige has also been significantly enhanced through its football diplomacy efforts. The participation of three Vietnamese representatives in FIFA's functional committees is proof of the trust placed in Vietnam by the world's largest football organization. In particular, Mr. Winston Lee highly praised the leadership role and strategic contributions of VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan in guiding development.
The inner strength of the fans and the goal of winning the World Cup.
Concluding his speech, the AFF Secretary General affirmed that the core strength that has helped Vietnamese football reach new heights is the burning passion of the people. The enthusiastic support from fans has created a tremendous source of internal strength, helping the national teams overcome the toughest challenges.
The praise from high-ranking AFF representatives is not only international recognition but also a motivation for the VFF to continue pursuing its goal of qualifying for the World Cup in the near future. With a solid foundation in youth development and a professional management system, Vietnamese football is showing its readiness for bigger stages.
