Southeast Asian media astonished by Coach Kim Sang Sik's achievements

Regional media, particularly Seasia Goal, acclaim Coach Kim Sang Sik as the fresh symbol of Southeast Asian football after a spectacular 2025 marked by many trophies with Vietnam.

The year 2025 can be considered a monumental success for Coach Kim Sang Sik, who is leading Vietnamese football into a glorious new era. Within just 12 months, the Korean strategist has achieved what many thought impossible: guiding Vietnam to dominate all regional competitions.

The Korean coach was appointed by the Vietnam Football Federation at the beginning of 2024, with hopes of bringing a fresh breeze after Park Hang Seo's era. Indeed, Kim Sang Sik quickly made a strong impact. In a short span of one year, he helped Vietnamese football achieve remarkable feats: winning the 2024 AFF Cup, claiming the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, qualifying for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, and notably securing the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand — a title that confirmed Vietnam's top position in Southeast Asian football.

Notably, Kim Sang Sik also caught the attention of all Asia by leading the ASEAN All-Stars team to victory over Manchester United in an international friendly hailed as “a proud showcase of Southeast Asian football.”

Kim Sang Sik’s style is described by Seasia Goal as “a blend of Korean discipline and Southeast Asian resilience.” He builds a Vietnam team full of speed, intense pressing, and especially an unyielding fighting spirit that has become the hallmark of his squads.

Regional experts believe Kim Sang Sik is inheriting and elevating the legacy of his predecessor Park Hang Seo. If Park Hang Seo laid the foundation for Vietnam’s football rise, then Coach Kim Sang Sik is opening the “second era” characterized by courage, youthfulness, and a vision towards Asia.

With outstanding achievements in 2025, Seasia Goal voted Kim Sang Sik as the best coach in Southeast Asia and called him the “architect of a new dream” for Vietnamese football.

“Vietnam once had Park Hang Seo who created miracles. Now, Kim Sang Sik is turning those miracles into a solid foundation for the future,” Seasia Goal commented.