2026 AFC U23 Championship: U23 Vietnam Prioritizes Stability

25/12/2025 06:55:00 esportapi

From being doubted, U23 Vietnam has proven to be a young squad playing with effort and confidence at SEA Games 33. Now, supporters look forward to a new, more daring and expansive appearance at the AFC U23 Championship.

1. Less than a week after reaching the top at SEA Games 33, U23 Vietnam had to immediately enter a more demanding phase: the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. Instead of enjoying the afterglow of victory, coach Kim Sang Sik and his team are racing against time to build a solid physical base, ready for direct confrontations with Asia’s football giants.

As expected by experts, the U23 Vietnam squad called up by coach Kim Sang Sik almost entirely retains the gold-winning core from SEA Games. Except for Bùi Vỹ Hào and Lê Văn Hà, the 23 players who completed the "golden mission" at SEA Games 33 continue to be given chances. This implicitly shows the Korean coach’s continued emphasis on stability, rewarding the Southeast Asian U23 championship and especially the emotionally charged gold medal won in Thailand.

Although this is not the final list heading to Saudi Arabia soon, it is highly probable that the final 23 will mostly be those who triumphed at SEA Games 33. It’s understandable since the AFC U23 Championship is close, and coach Kim Sang Sik relies on a team that has shown good coordination, spirit, and especially rising morale after SEA Games 33’s success.

There have been concerns that keeping the old core might reduce competitive motivation within U23 Vietnam. However, looking back at the young team’s journey over the past year, fans can be reassured.

The hardships and challenges they faced at SEA Games 33 demonstrated that every player must exert great effort to secure a spot; no one is granted an opportunity without continuous hard work.

The U23 Vietnam team competing at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship is built by coach Kim Sang Sik on a familiar foundation. Photo: Minh Dân

Only two new faces are added to the squad, but this will foster healthy competition for the upcoming AFC U23 Championship. In defense, Nguyễn Đức Anh and Đặng Tuấn Phong fully understand they must compete not only with newcomer Lê Văn Hà, while in attack, Quốc Việt, Nguyễn Lê Phát, and Ngọc Mỹ must also be wary of Bùi Vỹ Hào, even if only in a substitute or tactical role.

2. The preparation list for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship shows that over the past year, coach Kim Sang Sik has diligently sifted through talent to find the best "grains of rice." Early large training camps have now narrowed to just two extra players, indicating the coach has largely completed the "gold panning" phase and shaped the squad to fit the formation and tactics through tests such as the CFA Team China Panda Cup 2025, Southeast Asian U23 Championship, and SEA Games 33.

Vĩ Hào and coach Kim Sang Sik’s strategies at the AFC U23 Championship

Football requires relentless effort; therefore, despite having the "golden core" from SEA Games, coach Kim Sang Sik plans to refresh the squad from within. The AFC U23 Championship is a different level from SEA Games, so naturally, Kim Sang Sik will not allow players to become complacent in their victory’s afterglow. Besides stability, U23 Vietnam needs higher demands on their playing style.

It is clear that the training days in Qatar and the friendly match against U23 Syria before flying to Saudi Arabia are extremely important for U23 Vietnam. This time allows players to adapt to new climate, terrain, time zone, and gain real match experience against a "West Asian version" opponent.

Above all, it is essential to maintain the team’s integrity and preserve their passion for football, fueled by pride and expectations not only from Vietnamese fans but also from the Southeast Asian football community.

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