The training location is about an hour away from the team's hotel. The training session took place right after the whole team set foot in the host country of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals.
Before entering the training plan, head coach Kim Sang-sik gathered the whole team to disseminate the plan and professional requirements. The Korean coach emphasized the high concentration of the players, and identified the focus of the first training session as strengthening defensive capabilities.
In this training session, midfielder Thanh Nhan had to practice separately due to injury. The coaching staff expects this player to recover soon so that he can return to training and play with his teammates in the upcoming matches.
Sharing with the press before the training session, central defender Nguyen Hieu Minh said that U23 Vietnam set a goal to get points in the opening match against U23 Jordan. “In the first match, my goal as well as the whole team was to play focused, adhere to tactics and try to achieve the best results,” Hieu Minh said.
Assessing the weather conditions in Saudi Arabia, the center-back born in 2003 said that the climate here is quite similar to the time U23 Vietnam competed in SEA Games 33 in Thailand. "It's quite hot but it doesn't cause too much difficulty because we are used to similar conditions. The organizers have air conditioning in some areas, so players need to adapt, but this is not a big problem," Hieu Minh shared.
Regarding living and nutrition, this player admitted that there is a difference compared to Vietnam, but affirmed that the whole team will proactively adapt to ensure the best physical condition. “As professional players, we are always aware of maintaining physical strength and nutrition to meet the intensity of training as well as competition,” he said.
Commenting on the opponents in the group stage, Hieu Minh assessed that West Asian teams have an advantage in physique and fitness. However, he believes that U23 Vietnam is no longer too inferior. "We have prepared carefully and have a good physical foundation. The whole team entered the tournament with a ready spirit," this center-back said.
Hieu Minh also revealed the instructions of coach Kim Sang-sik before the tournament. Accordingly, the Korean coach emphasized that U23 Vietnam has overcome challenges in Southeast Asia, but when entering the continental arena, the level of competition will be much higher, requiring the whole team to strive and train more seriously.
Concluding the sharing session, the U23 Vietnam defender affirmed that the common goal of the whole team is to play with the highest spirit, aiming for victory in each match. “Successes in Southeast Asia are the spiritual motivation for us to confidently aim for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals,” Hieu Minh said.
The 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals will officially kick off from January 6th. U23 Vietnam is in Group A and will play against U23 Jordan at 6:30 PM.
