The AFF Cup will be renamed the ASEAN Cup from 2024, and will be held from December 8, 2024 to January 5, 2025. The Indonesian team is in Group B with Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Laos. Vietnam is considered the main rival of the team from the archipelago.
After a closed practice match with Bali United club before the important tournament, head coach Shin Tae-yong of the Indonesian team gave his assessment of the Vietnamese team.
Indonesian newspaper Bola quoted: "I don't know much about the strength of the Vietnamese team. They brought their best squad to the tournament. This is definitely a tough opponent for us. Indonesia will try to win. The whole team is seriously preparing for this goal."
Previously, Indonesian delegation leader Sumardji also emphasized that matches with Vietnam have their own appeal and the Indonesian team wants to win even though they only bring a young team to the tournament.
Coach Shin Tae-yong also affirmed that the Indonesian team does not dream of winning the 2024 AFF Cup. The Korean coach hopes that fans do not have too high expectations to avoid creating pressure.
The Indonesian team captain emphasized that the upcoming tournament focuses on building a winning mentality, to help the current U21 players prepare early for the 2025 SEA Games, taking place at the end of next year.
The Indonesian team has gathered since November 27. According to the schedule, the team from the archipelago will play the opening match of the AFF Cup 2024 against Myanmar at 7:30 p.m. on December 9. Next, coach Shin Tae-yong and his team will visit Vietnam at 8:00 p.m. on December 15.
