Ahead of the final match, the Indonesian media emphasized the mission of paying off the debt of U23 Indonesia against U23 Vietnam. In the final of the 2023 Southeast Asian U23, U23 Vietnam also met U23 Indonesia in the final match. At that time, U23 Vietnam overcame their opponent after a penalty shootout of 11m to be crowned.
In the previous 4 times organizing the U23 Southeast Asian tournament, U23 Vietnam is having the best record with 2 consecutive championships in 2022 and 2023. Meanwhile, U23 Thailand won the championship once in 2005, while U23 Indonesia won the highest title in 2019.
If they defeat U23 Indonesia, U23 Vietnam will have won this tournament for the third consecutive time, thereby creating a new record. With coach Kim Sang-sik, he will also make history as a rare person to win the ASEAN Cup (for the national team) and the U23 tournament for 2 consecutive years.
For U23 Indonesia, they will equal the championship achievement of U23 Vietnam if they defeat their opponent in the final match taking place at home on the evening of July 29. The home team's hopes are placed on coach Donald Vanenburg (Netherlands).
Donald Vanenburg is a famous player in Dutch football, having won the C1 Cup - the predecessor of the UEFA Champions League in the 1987-1988 season with PSV, and won EURO 1988 with the Netherlands. Originally an attacking player on the wing, Vanenburg brought creativity in playing style to U23 Indonesia. In the semi-finals, this strategist once positioned Muhammad Ferrari's defender as a striker.
The final match will be a tactical battle between coach Vanenburg and Kim Sang-sik. The Dutch strategist is highly appreciated for his creativity and flexibility in playing style. Meanwhile, Mr. Kim Sang-sik is famous for his solidity and discipline in playing style, built on the strong physical foundation of the players.
Another attractive point in the final match was that the players of the two teams were not strangers to each other. Some players who won the tournament 2 years ago are Khuat Van Khang, Nguyen Van Truong, Tran Trung Kien, Nguyen Phi Hoang, Nguyen Quoc Viet...
Meanwhile, U23 Indonesia still has 6 players who lost to U23 Vietnam in the 2023 final: Frengky Missa, Robi Darwis, Arkhan Fikri, Kadek Arel, Muhammad Ferarri and Daffa Fasya. For this group of players, the final match on the evening of July 29 is the best opportunity for them to repay their debt against their opponents and win glory for the country.
The 2025 U23 Southeast Asian final will take place at 8:00 p.m. today (September 29), live on FPT Play.
