First opponent
U17 Vietnam has spent 2 days getting acquainted with the external conditions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the 2026 AFC U17 Championship finals will take place.
Notably, this location also witnessed the journey to win 3rd place in Asia of the U23 Vietnam team 4 months ago. The hotel where U17 Vietnam is stationed is also the "headquarters" of senior generation Dinh Bac, Van Khang, Hieu Minh, Nhat Minh, Ly Duc...
Compared to U23 Vietnam, U17 Vietnam is still quite unfamiliar when playing in Saudi Arabia. Besides Chu Ngoc Nguyen Luc and Nguyen Van Duong who participated in the AFC U17 Championship last year, the majority of the remaining faces have only set foot in this West Asian country for the first time.
Previously, they had just experienced their first international tournament in their careers when competing in the 2026 U17 Southeast Asian Championship finals in Indonesia 2 weeks ago.
Quy Vuong, Sy Bach, Xuan Hoa, Dang Khoi... at that time had to get used to new dishes, almost not using pork and often eating dishes made from chicken and beef with many spices, even quite spicy.
In addition, Vietnamese players' meals also rarely have side dishes. This is why the members of the coaching staff often take turns accompanying the chef, guiding them on some dishes closer to the taste of Vietnamese players.
The story is similar when U17 Vietnam came to a country with Islamic culture like Saudi Arabia. Even, the processing method here is more different than the Asian taste. It is not difficult to recognize that in the buffet meals of U17 Vietnam at the hotel, there are many dishes in the European or Saudi Arabian style.
They cannot enjoy pho, bun, vermicelli, hu tieu... like in Vietnam. Rice here is inherently drier and harder. Bread, lamb, chicken and salmon are also processed daily from now until the end of the U17 Asian Cup 2026 journey.
Finding ways to adapt
Obviously, for many players who travel far and participate in international tournaments for the first time, adapting to climate and food conditions will not be easy. Therefore, the Vietnam Football Federation and coach Roland decided to send the team to Saudi Arabia 2-3 days earlier to help their students get acquainted with the outside world early.
According to records from the coaching staff, U17 Vietnam doctors are actively advising players on choosing dishes that ensure nutrition for the competition and training process.
Having experienced similar food in Indonesia before more or less helps players get used to it when standing in front of the "buffet" table. In addition, because they have been instructed by the coaching staff about the differences in cuisine, many players are also preparing canned or dry food from Vietnam.
Before leaving, goalkeeper coach Nguyen Duc Cuong bought many snacks for his students, helping them find familiar tastes in their hometown cuisine in the first days of setting foot in Saudi Arabia. External challenges are what a Vietnamese professional player needs to overcome.
Regarding professional issues, the U17 Vietnam coaching staff is focusing on consolidating key contents, including organizing the playing style when having the ball, the ability to cover in defense as well as the finishing efficiency.
We still have points to improve, especially tactical movements and finishing ability. The positive thing is that the players are all aware of the issues that need to be improved. The coaching staff has analyzed specifically and the whole team is making efforts to adjust through each training session, aiming to perform best in competition," coach Roland said.
According to the plan, U17 Vietnam will continue to complete the preparation in the coming days before having their opening match against U17 Yemen on May 7.
