Thai media spread fake news, Vietnam national team striker speaks out; Hanoi FC suffers serious loss of personnel

Hanoi Club suffered serious losses in personnel

On the evening of February 5, Hanoi FC visited Thien Truong Stadium to play against Nam Dinh Blue Steel in round 13 of V.League 2024/25. In this match, the capital team suffered a serious loss of force when 3 players had to sit out due to disciplinary action from the Organizing Committee.

Specifically, Vu Dinh Hai was suspended for 2 matches due to receiving a direct red card in the match against Hoang Anh Gia Lai on January 24. Dinh Hai will be absent from consecutive matches against Nam Dinh,Lam River Nghe Anin rounds 12 and 13. Two national players, Nguyen Hai Long and Nguyen Thanh Chung, also could not play in the match against Nam Dinh because they both received 3 yellow cards.

Hanoi FC and Nam Dinh FC are the two teams that will "take the field" for the year of the Snake of V.League 2024/25. The clubs have gathered early to have the best preparation. This will be the first match of acting head coach Hoang Van Phuc with Hanoi FC.

Right before New Year's Eve, the Capital team changed coach when coach Le Duc Tuan was no longer the club's captain. Coach Hoang Van Phuc's debut match is expected to be even more difficult when he has to play away at Thien Truong, where the home team decided to open the door for free to welcome their large number of fans to cheer on the players, aiming for full points in the opening match of the Spring.

AFC finalizes time to organize Asian Cup 2027

On February 4, the AFC approved the time and venue for the 2027 Asian Cup. Accordingly, the Asian Football Championship will take place from January 7 to February 5, 2027 in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia.

The five stadiums chosen to host the competition in the capital Riyadh are King Fahd Sports City, King Saud University Stadium, Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud University Stadium, Kingdom Arena Stadium and Al Shabab Stadium.

The two stadiums chosen for construction in Jeddah are King Abdullah Sports City and Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City. The other stadium is expected to be built soon in Al Khobar.

Vietnam will participate in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup in March. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team are in Group F with Malaysia, Nepal and Laos. Quang Hai and his teammates will have their opening match against Laos at Binh Duong Stadium on March 25. Only the group winner will qualify for the final round.

There are currently 18 teams qualified for the 2027 Asian Cup finals. The remaining 6 spots will be determined in the upcoming final qualifying round.

Thailand launches logo and mascot of SEA Games 33

The Thai Creative Culture Agency, in collaboration with the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, has just announced the official logo and mascot of the 33rd SEA Games, marking the 11-month milestone before the Opening Ceremony of the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand.

The logo and mascot of SEA Games 33 were designed by Mr. Thiranop Wangsilpakun - representative of TNOP Design.

The logo not only captures the spirit of sportsmanship but also celebrates Thailand’s rich cultural heritage. Inspired by the lines on the playing field combined with traditional motifs, the logo conveys the message of “playing by the rules”, symbolizing respect, discipline and creativity within certain limits.

At the same time, the official mascot of the Games, “The Sans”, was also introduced. The mascot is a harmonious combination of shapes and striking colors such as green, blue, pink, yellow and red, inspired by traditional Thai art. “The Sans” represents strong personality, unity and cultural diversity, reflecting the subtle blend of modernity and heritage values.

The 33rd SEA Games will take place from December 9 to 20, 2025 at three main locations: Bangkok, Chonburi and Songkhla.

Thai media spread fake news, Vietnam national team striker speaks out

Pham Tuan Hai affirmed that he has never criticized Thai League as some media channels in this country reported.

"I certainly would never criticize a tournament with good professional quality like the Thai League. Any tournament has its own challenges and difficulties," Pham Tuan Hai answered a question from VTC News regarding information published by the Thai press.

A few days ago, the famous Thai news site Khaosod suddenly published a statement by striker Pham Tuan Hai. The newspaper quoted the Vietnamese player as saying: "The Thai League does not help me improve my level. If I get to play abroad, I will try my best. I am not interested in the ASEAN tournament, especially the Thai tournament. If you want to improve your speed, you have to go higher - Pham Tuan Hai, the striker of the Vietnamese national team, told the domestic media."

The player born in 1998 said he was confused when he read this information, and even carefully checked all his interviews. Obviously, the Thai press has published fabricated information. It is impossible to find any speeches by Tuan Hai in Vietnamese press articles with similar content. Khaosod's article may cause unnecessary controversy between the two football backgrounds.

Indeed, in the comment section, many Thai fans did not hesitate to criticize Tuan Hai. They said that no Vietnamese player has ever successfully gone abroad. Many people also said that no team in Thailand would want to recruit Tuan Hai.

Pham Tuan Hai did not receive much sympathy from Thai fans after the AFF Cup 2024 final. He scored the opening goal right at Rajamangala Stadium. Then, Tuan Hai himself fired a shot that caused Pansa Hemviboon to score an own goal in the second half./.