Coach Cristiano Roland is almost certain to continue to take on the position of head coach of U17 Vietnam at the 2026 U17 World Cup finals, in the context that the team is preparing to enter an important gathering and training phase.
This information was shared by Vice President of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Tran Anh Tu when referring to the preparation plan of youth teams towards international tasks in the coming time.
Accordingly, the option of continuing to place trust in coach Cristiano Roland is being prioritized by VFF. The Brazilian coach has worked with the U17 Vietnam players for a long time and understands the capacity and professional characteristics of each player.
Maintaining the head coach also helps U17 Vietnam maintain stability in the process of preparing for the big playground. This is a tournament with high professional requirements, and also an opportunity for young Vietnamese players to compete and rub against the world's leading football backgrounds.
According to the plan, U17 Vietnam will gather again from September 20. The coaching staff will review the force, complete the squad and improve the physical and tactical foundation before entering the final preparation stage for the World Cup.
Previously, U17 Vietnam was expected to participate in a friendly tournament in Thailand. However, the tournament was later moved to Spain, causing the team to not have time to complete the necessary procedures to participate.
Instead of the friendly match plan in Spain, VFF is developing a plan to send U17 Vietnam to West Asia for training, in which UAE is prioritized. A specific plan is being completed by VFF, with the goal of helping the team have conditions to train, play friendly matches and adapt better before entering the World Cup.
After the training camp, U17 Vietnam is expected to move to Qatar to participate in the 2026 U17 World Cup finals.
At this year's tournament, U17 Vietnam is in Group G with U17 Belgium, U17 Mali and U17 New Zealand. This is the first time Vietnamese youth football has participated in the U17 World Cup in a new format, so preparation in terms of force and expertise is being particularly focused on.
