Cabin BLV: Meeting Thailand again at Rajamangala

17/12/2025 09:03:00 GoalGuru

This match was "predestined" right after the group draw for the men's football event at SEA Games 33. Vietnamese and Thai football have been determined to settle the score since the 2017 King's Cup, when the two teams' strengths became more comparable.

Before 2017, although Vietnam had twice overcome Thailand in significant official matches—the ASEAN Cup in 1998 and 2008—due to the growth of the Thai League and Thailand's capacity to export players, they did not truly regard us as a threat. This was also a time when Thai football sought to conquer greater heights. No matter what, since the 2008 AFF Cup, we have been clearly inferior to Thai football, until the 2017-2018 period mentioned earlier.

In the history of men's football at the SEA Games, Thailand has dominated for a very long time with countless gold medals. During different phases, such as 1991-2005, 2007-2013, or 2015-2023, Thai football sacrificed for the World Cup goal after dominating the regional tournament, but they failed. That was the moment when other regional football powers had chances to rise, yet no team could defeat Thailand.

When the Thais returned to the regional arena, no football nation was their rival. At SEA Games 2019 and 2022, when the men's football format was "U22 + 3," we won the championship, always led by Vietnamese Ballon d'Or winners directing the play. However, since then, when the tournament reverted to under-22 format for men's football at SEA Games, we immediately fell behind.

Since SEA Games 22 in 2003, Vietnamese youth football began asserting its strength in the region, but compared to Thailand, we are still much weaker. Evidence is that the Vietnam U23 team lost once again to Thailand in the final. Before that, in the 2000 AFC U16 Championship, we reached the semifinals. Văn Quyến and his teammates in Đà Nẵng that year laid the foundation for the silver medal at the 2003 SEA Games men's football event.

Thailand U22 will be the final obstacle for Hiểu Minh and his teammates on their path to conquering the men's football gold medal at SEA Games 33. Photo: Tuấn Phạm

Football is a continuous succession. Before Coach Park Hang Seo led Vietnam U23 to the final of the 2018 AFC U23 Championship, Vietnam U19 under Coach Hoàng Anh Tuấn reached the semifinals of the 2016 AFC U19 Championship. One year later, that squad participated in the 2017 U20 World Cup in South Korea.

With the current Vietnam U22 squad at SEA Games 33, only a few have previously won the Southeast Asian U23 Championship. Đình Bắc, Khuất Văn Khang, and Viktor Lê are the most experienced players on the team now. This shows that the Vietnamese youth team faces great challenges in reaching the top.

Vietnam U22 is fully focused on the SEA Games 33 final against Thailand.

AfterSEA Games 2003, Văn Quyến won the Vietnamese Ballon d'Or at age 19. In 2004, Công Vinh received the same award at the same age as Quyến. In 2009, Thành Lương claimed the Ballon d'Or at 21. In 2018 it was Quang Hải, and in 2020 Hoàng Đức at 22 years old.

Currently, Đình Bắc appears to be the most promising name. But if we compare Đình Bắc to Hoàng Đức this season, where does the young Nghệ An-born player from 2004 stand? In fact, Đình Bắc has only shone in three matches at this year's SEA Games, and has yet to make a notable mark in the V-League and national team, unlike what Văn Quyến, Công Vinh, or Thành Lương achieved in their early twenties.

Returning to the story of Vietnam U22 atSEA Games 33, we have reached the final. Theoretically, the chance to win gold is 50/50, and not because Thailand is the host does it mean we are clearly superior.

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