Vietnam U17 qualifies for the World Cup: Thai expert admits to falling behind.
The achievement of coach Cristiano Roland and his team helped Vietnam U17 qualify for the World Cup for the first time, while also exposing shortcomings in Thailand's youth training system.
Vietnam U17 team achieves historic feat at continental tournament.
The Vietnam U17 team has officially qualified for the U17 World Cup Finals after a convincing performance at the 2026 AFC U17 Championship. This is a historic milestone, marking the strong rise of Vietnamese youth football on the world map.
Under the guidance of coach Cristiano Roland, the Vietnam U17 team had an impressive journey in Group C. Despite losing to strong opponent South Korea, the team impressively defeated both Yemen and UAE to take the top spot in the group. This achievement not only secured Vietnam a place in the knockout round but also guaranteed them a spot in the biggest football tournament on the planet for the U17 age group.
The contrast and disappointment of Thai football.
In stark contrast to Vietnam's joy, Thai football is mired in bitter disappointment. The Thai U17 team was eliminated early in the group stage with only 1 point. This contrasting performance at the 2026 AFC U17 Championship has sparked intense debate in Thailand.
On the popular sports fan page Khobsanam, writer Chicharitao commented that witnessing Vietnam qualify for the World Cup brought a painful feeling to Thai fans. The expert frankly admitted the backwardness of Thai youth football when compared to the rapid progress of their regional rivals. "Deep down, I still feel pain because we couldn't do what they did," Chicharitao shared.
Gaps in the youth training system
Analyzing the reasons for the failure in more detail, Thai experts pointed out that their youth training system lacks cohesion and is heavily fragmented. A prime example is the fact that youth coaches are only appointed close to the competition date, resulting in a lack of consistent and stable preparation for the team.
Meanwhile, Vietnam's strategy is considered more systematic and sustainable, with a steadfast goal of reaching international prominence. By participating in the U17 World Cup, Vietnam officially became the second Southeast Asian nation, after Indonesia, to have competed in both the U17 and U20 World Cups.
Looking back at history, Thailand participated in the U17 World Cup in the 1990s but has never qualified for the U20 World Cup. This reality forces Thai football administrators to re-evaluate their entire training process if they don't want to continue falling behind.
