Vietnam U22: Van Khang as captain, Dinh Bac as vice-captain.

The U22 Vietnam coaching staff has finalized the new leadership team ahead of the SEA Games 33: Van Khang will wear the captain's armband, and Dinh Bac will be given the role of vice-captain. The decision was made at a team meeting on November 29, after Van Truong was forced to withdraw due to a ligament injury.

Van Khang wears the captain's armband, Dinh Bac is promoted to vice-captain.

The captain's armband returns to a familiar name. The midfielder, currently playing for The Cong Viettel, was the captain of the U23 Southeast Asian Championship 2025 and many other youth teams, demonstrating his stability in leadership roles in the locker room.

In the vice-captain position, instead of center-back Hieu Minh as in previous tournaments, coach Kim Sang-sik gave the opportunity to Dinh Bac. His noticeable improvement in daily life, training attitude, and professional skills is the basis for this midfielder being recognized in the leadership team.

Context: Van Truong's injury and the void it leaves behind.

At the 2025 CFA Team China tournament – ​​the most recent competition the Vietnam U22 team participated in – Van Truong captained the team and played in all three matches. However, a ligament injury prevented him from participating in the SEA Games 33 and the U23 Asian Championship, forcing the team to restructure its leadership.

Why is this choice appropriate right now?

Van Khang's return as captain brings continuity: someone who has previously led youth teams in an international competition environment. This personnel stability in the captaincy helps to define training standards and conduct, especially in the final stretch leading up to the squad selection.

The promotion of Dinh Bac reflects a policy of rewarding progress. From a team management perspective, the leadership team's combination of experience and improvement in discipline and expertise can create healthy competition throughout the team.

Training plan and key timelines

On the afternoon of November 29th, the Vietnam U22 team continued their training at the Ba Ria stadium. Coach Kim Sang-sik divided the team into two groups for a practice match to assess their performance before eliminating five players, thus finalizing the squad for the SEA Games 33.

• November 29th: Team meeting, finalizing the leadership committee; internal competition in Ba Ria.
• Before December 1st: Five players eliminated, finalizing the squad for SEA Games 33.
• 1.12: Travel to Thailand, beginning the journey to conquer the gold medal in men's football.

Impact on SEA Games 33 goals

The gold medal target is considered achievable. The U22 Vietnam team is built on a stable foundation, with many players who have previously played for the national team. Names like Van Khang, Dinh Bac, Thai Son, and Thanh Nhan not only enrich the roster but also have experience competing at the highest level.

The adjustments to the coaching staff at this time send a clear message about standards in daily life, training attitude, and professional effectiveness. With the team now defined in terms of both leadership structure and personnel list, the Vietnam U22 team has a stronger foundation to enter the SEA Games 33 with confidence and discipline.