Vietnam U23 team finishes third in Asia: Expert Jernej Kamensek points out key weaknesses.
Following their remarkable achievement at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, expert Jernej Kamensek praised the unity of the Vietnam U23 team but warned that the team lacks star players who can turn the tide of the game.
The Vietnam U23 team's journey at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship has concluded with a third-place finish, an achievement exceeding the expectations of football fans. The dramatic victory against South Korea U23 not only affirmed the tactical prowess of coach Kim Sang-sik but also attracted significant attention from international experts.
Strength comes from unity and iron discipline.
Commenting on the success of the Vietnamese youth team, Slovenian football agent Jernej Kamensek believes the core element lies in team spirit. According to him, the U23 Vietnam team displayed a cohesive style of play, where every player strictly adhered to the tactics and knew how to support each other to fill gaps on the field.
It was their discipline and high level of organization that became the sharpest weapons, helping Coach Kim Sang-sik's team overcome opponents who were considered stronger. Coach Kamensek admitted that this performance surprised most international observers, demonstrating the resilience of the young Vietnamese players.
The problem of a shortage of true stars.
However, alongside the praise, Jernej Kamensek also frankly pointed out the professional shortcomings. The expert noted that the Vietnam U23 team still lacks outstanding individuals, players capable of creating breakthroughs or completely changing the course of a match with their excellent individual skills.
"Looking at some of the statistics, we can still see that the team lacks true star players, those who can change the numbers on the scoreboard," Kamensek shared with Dan Tri newspaper. The lack of players capable of deciding matches could be a major obstacle when the team faces world-class opponents.
A breakthrough is needed to reach international standards.
Likening the recent success to a "fairy tale," Kamensek noted that in short-term tournaments, teamwork often creates surprises. However, for young players to truly mature and become pillars of the national team in the future, honing individual skills is essential.
Winning the Asian Championship is a proud milestone, but to maintain its sustainable position, Vietnamese football needs to focus on training and discovering more players who can make a difference. This is a strategic problem that the coaching staff and managers need to solve soon in order to raise the level of the next generation of players.
