The imprints
Until the ASEAN Cup 2024 took place, Vietnamese football in general had not escaped the fog that had covered it for more than a year. Coach Kim Sang-sik started a new "dynasty" but did not make much difference in the early period. The Korean coach basically only solved the psychological problems for fans.
Even before the away match in Laos in the opening match, the level of interest from Vietnamese fans was not high. And then, doubts continued to appear when the Vietnamese team struggled for 60 minutes against the team from the land of a million elephants. Returning home, the victory against Indonesia gradually rekindled the fire in the stands.
No matter what formation coach Shin Tae-yong uses, fans just need to come to the stadium and witness Quang Hai and his teammates put pressure on their opponents. It has been a long time since ticket brokers have had the chance to operate and it is a sign that the heat of the king sport is gradually returning after a difficult period.
It is also necessary to recognize that Vietnamese football is in a period of decline, there are not many domestic players who can carry the national team. The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) clearly needs new resources such as overseas Vietnamese, naturalized foreign players and Nguyen Xuan Son has exceeded everyone's expectations.
Although Viet Tri Stadium is not as large as My Dinh Stadium, it is like a big magnet attracting fans, some of whom come to the stadium because they crave the passionate atmosphere. In terms of expertise, many countries have the mindset of taking the ASEAN Cup 2024 lightly, but the two leading teams, Vietnam and Thailand, still bring strong squads and have prepared thoroughly for the tournament.
Similar to VFF, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) understands that without truly dominating the region, the goal of reaching the continental level is just a pipe dream. Southeast Asian countries still need moderate titles to maintain the heat and interest of fans before thinking about bigger destinations.
Hopes
Vietnam U23 started to create heat from the 2018 AFC U23 Championship. But the Vietnam team really entered a successful cycle after winning the ASEAN Cup (then AFF Cup) in the same year. After that, an impressive streak of achievements was maintained for 4 years, also stemming from the motivation of a regional title.
Until the end of the ASEAN Cup 2024 semi-finals, the national men's football team was still a rare bright color in an otherwise quiet picture of Vietnamese sports in the past year. The players aroused national spirit, brought joy to the Vietnamese people and created many values off the field.
Initially, coach Kim Sang-sik left his professional mark and laid more solid bricks for his “dynasty”. The Vietnamese team at this time could not play a truly ornate and detailed football, but to meet complex requirements, Mr. Kim had to have good enough personnel.
Young players have not had time to develop to replace their seniors, while the pillars have declined quite quickly after the recent period. The importance of the 2024 ASEAN Cup championship title or simply a “watchable” performance has become even more important. What the Korean coach needs is time and an increased confidence index.
In 2025, Vietnamese football still has two very important goals: the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers and the 33rd SEA Games. If the spirit of the recent matches can be promoted, the story of U22 Vietnam and the national team continuing to create heat is not an out-of-reach goal.
