On the afternoon of December 25, the U23 Vietnam team completed its final training session in Hanoi before leaving for Qatar to train, preparing for the 2026 U23 Asian Cup finals. At the time of the move, the team's coaching staff received less positive information when two players had physical problems.
Goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien had to practice separately with the medical team due to muscle pain, while defender Dang Tuan Phong could not play on the field to practice. The remaining 23 players of U23 Vietnam still maintain a stable physical condition and have fully completed the set out training program.
This is the period when U23 Vietnam is gradually increasing the intensity of training, while calculating the decline in performance for the continental tournament. The fact that some players are injured has forced the coaching staff to closely monitor the situation to have appropriate adjustment plans during their training in Qatar.
In an interview before the afternoon training session of December 25, midfielder Le Van Thuan frankly acknowledged his limitations after the 33rd SEA Games: "Actually, I still have many shortcomings at the 33rd SEA Games. I will try to improve it in the near future".
The midfielder born in 2004 said that the whole team is in good spirits when returning to the familiar training location in Qatar, where U22 Vietnam trained in October. According to Van Thuan, having early preparation helps the players feel more confident before the upcoming important tournament.
"Once again, back to this training session, we had a very good spirit of preparation and felt very well. Before the tournament, there will be a friendly match with Syria so that the whole team can feel the best playing feeling," he said.
In addition to the professional factor, Van Thuan also emphasized the goal of improving physical strength and competitive spirit during the training process.
"I want to improve my competitive spirit, while improving my physical strength and fitness step by step to aim for bigger goals. For now, U23 Vietnam has not faced major continental opponents, so we will feel it clearly when entering the tournament," said the midfielder.
When asked about the possibility of facing top stars in Saudi Arabia, Van Thuan appeared open but still maintained the necessary caution. "I can say anything in advance. If I had met and watched Ronaldo play in Saudi Arabia, it would be great," he added.
According to the plan, U23 Vietnam will leave for Qatar early in the morning of December 26, ending a 3-day training session in Hanoi. In Qatar, the team is scheduled to have a friendly match with Syria U23, before moving to Saudi Arabia on January 1, 2026 to enter the final preparation stage for the tournament.
In the 2026 U23 Asian Cup finals, U23 Vietnam is in Group A with host U23 Saudi Arabia, U23 Jordan and U23 Kyrgyzstan. According to the match schedule, U23 Vietnam will meet U23 Jordan in the opening match on January 6, facing U23 Kyrgyzstan on January 9, before concluding the group stage with a match against host U23 Saudi Arabia on January 12.
