Right after the opening match, a reputable newspaper in Singapore named the young players expected to make their mark at the ASEAN Cup 2026. The list was built based on their performance at the club level, continental youth tournaments as well as their performances in the national team recently.
In which, Nguyen Dinh Bac was chosen as the representative of the Vietnamese team. The striker born in 2004 is considered one of the most outstanding talents in the region after an impressive journey with U23 Vietnam at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, when he won the Golden Boot title and contributed to helping the team win third place.
Possessing speed, dribbling ability and diverse finishing, Dinh Bac can play in both center forward and winger positions. The performance with a hat-trick in the 7-0 victory over Timor Leste continued to help the striker from Nghe An affirm his position in coach Kim Sang-sik's squad.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian team is present with Marselino Ferdinan, a player who has affirmed his name for many years. The 21-year-old midfielder once won the title of "Best Young Player" of ASEAN Cup 2022 and is still an important link in the playing style of the archipelago team.
The ability to control the ball, create breakthroughs with dribbling and creative passes helps Marselino always be considered a great hope of Indonesia in the goal of competing for the championship.
The Thai team owns Yotsakorn Burapha - a 21-year-old striker who is making rapid progress after returning to play domestically. The Chonburi striker impresses with speed, positioning thinking and diverse finishing in the penalty area.
After the title of "Top scorer" in men's football at SEA Games 2025, Yotsakorn has just made his mark when scoring in the 5-0 victory over Laos in his first time wearing the national team jersey. He is also expected to become the successor face of the "War Elephants" attack.
On the Philippines side, Sandro Reyes continues to be a noteworthy factor in midfield. The player who grew up from Barca Escola's training system once developed his career in Germany before becoming a pillar of the national team.
The 23-year-old midfielder stands out for his ability to control the tempo, pass accurately and support both attack and defense. With experience fighting through many ASEAN Cups, Reyes is a face that can make a difference in big matches.
The last representative is Malaysian center-back Ubaidullah Shamsul. At the age of 22, he has won a starting spot in the national team shirt thanks to his ability to read situations, aerial combat and deploy the ball from the lower lines.
In the context of Malaysia rejuvenating its force, Ubaidullah is considered one of the players with potential to become the leader of the defense in the coming years, and also an important factor in the team's journey at the ASEAN Cup 2026.
