On the afternoon of September 22, the Vietnamese team had their first training session at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center, preparing for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026. This is also the only training session of coach Kim Sang-sik and his team in Hanoi before departing for Indonesia.
Because the players are playing in the V.League and most of them have just successfully defended the Southeast Asian championship with the Vietnamese national team, the training session took place with light intensity. The coaching staff mainly helped the players maintain the feeling of the ball, create excitement and reconnect in the team environment.
Notably, center-back Nguyen Adou Leygley Minh was called up to the Vietnamese national team for the first time. Before the training session, the player born in 1997 shared his feelings when he had the opportunity to wear the national team jersey and preparations for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.
Adou Minh said that he does not focus on the confrontation with Thailand alone but wants to maintain focus for each match: "All matches in this tournament are very important, not just the match against Thailand. It will be a difficult match, but we aim to win all 3 points in all matches. Therefore, maintaining focus for each match is very important.
The center-back of Hanoi Police Club also recalled the journey of the Vietnamese team at ASEAN Cup 2026. He said he watched all the matches and was directly present on the field in the final match.
“At the recent tournament, I watched all the matches of the team. In the final, I was directly present at the stadium and the fans as well as the atmosphere at that time were wonderful. That brought joy to the whole country. At that time I was like a fan, and now I am in the team, so it is a very big step forward for me,” Adou Minh shared.
FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 will be the first tournament Adou Minh has the opportunity to wear the Vietnamese national team jersey. This player said he wants to enjoy a special opportunity and is ready to contribute if the coach gives him a chance to play.
I will try to enjoy this moment. For a player, for me, this will be an unforgettable moment. In my career, it is difficult to wear the national team jersey. Therefore, I will dedicate myself wholeheartedly and wait and see if I can play, contribute and help the team or not," said Adou Minh.
Nguyen Adou Leygley Minh was born in 1997, his mother is Vietnamese and born and raised in France. Before returning to Vietnam to play from 2024, he played for Grenoble, Annecy and Besancon.
In the 2025-2026 season, Adou Minh played 29 matches in all competitions in the Hanoi Police shirt. In the 2026-2027 season, he continued to overcome Adelaide United (Australia) with the team in the AFC Champions League Elite play-off round.
According to the plan, the Vietnamese team will depart for Indonesia on the morning of September 23. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will play their opening match of FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 against the Philippines on September 26 at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium (Bandung).
After that, the Vietnamese team will successively face Thailand on September 29th and Pakistan on October 2nd.
