Thai media: 'Vietnam is professional, Thailand is confused'

The Thai site Sporthero compares the preparations of U23 Vietnam and U23 Thailand before the AFC U23 Championship final round, noting that Vietnam showed professionalism and started their preparations sooner than the team from the Land of Smiles.

Recently, the Thai sports site Sporthero published an article comparing the preparations of U23 Vietnam and U23 Thailand ahead of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship final stage, praising the professionalism and quick adaptation of the Red Shirts team.

According to Sporthero, just a few days after winning the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games, U23 Vietnam promptly regrouped under the leadership of coach Kim Sang Sik. The entire squad gathered at the National Youth Football Training Center (Hanoi) and immediately began training. The lineup mostly retained the core SEA Games champions, including key players like Nguyễn Đình Bắc, Khuất Văn Khang, Nguyễn Thái Sơn, Phạm Lý Đức, and Nguyễn Quốc Việt.

The Thai news outlet emphasized that after three days of training in Hanoi, coach Kim Sang Sik’s team will depart for Qatar for a training camp on December 26, where they will acclimate to the playing conditions and climate before competing in Group A alongside Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Kyrgyzstan. U23 Vietnam will open their campaign against Jordan on January 6, 2026.

In contrast, Sporthero argues that U23 Thailand is still struggling in their preparations. The team has yet to fully assemble due to many players being tied up with Thai League schedules, while the coaching staff has not finalized the roster. The site comments: “While U23 Vietnam already has a clear plan and quickly got into gear, U23 Thailand is still at the stage of… calling players to join the squad.”

Sporthero concludes that the difference in organization and preparation attitude demonstrates that Vietnamese football is showing greater professionalism and long-term vision. The Red Shirts team did not rest on their SEA Games victory but continued aiming for the bigger goal of conquering the AFC U23 Championship.