Korean media defends Kim Sang Sik, delighted as Malaysia faces sanctions

South Korean media shows joy as Malaysia's national team receives a severe punishment from FIFA for unlawful naturalization.

On June 10, 2025, Malaysia, with a squad of newly naturalized quality foreign players, completely dominated Vietnam in a match that ended 4-0 in Malaysia's favor.

This loss significantly reduced Vietnam's chances of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup. Losing heavily to Malaysia, a team they usually beat, was unacceptable to Vietnamese fans.

“This shocking defeat has angered Vietnamese fans. There were even calls for coach Kim Sang Sik to be dismissed”, wrote South Korea's Daum.

“However, the situation quickly reversed when news emerged that 7 out of 9 naturalized Malaysian players who played against Vietnam used forged documents during their naturalization process. This shifted public opinion in Vietnam and significantly eased the pressure on coach Kim Sang Sik”, the Korean newspaper added.

After confirming FAM's fraudulent actions, FIFA issued penalties in September, banning the 7 players naturalized with fake documents for 12 months and imposing fines. On the 17th, FIFA further declared a 0–3 forfeit loss for all three international matches in which Malaysia used these violating players.

Following FIFA's decisions, attention now turns to AFC. The Vietnam vs. Malaysia match in the Asian Cup qualifiers is governed by AFC, so the authority to decide whether to award a 0–3 forfeit loss lies with AFC.

Daum headlined: “Justice Served” to describe Malaysia’s punishment by FIFA and to defend coach Kim Sang Sik against accusations, as the opponent fielded ineligible players.

Despite heavy pressure after that shocking loss, the Vietnam Football Federation and coach Kim Sang Sik maintained mutual trust. Success followed when the Korean coach won two consecutive youth titles: the Southeast Asian U23 Championship (07/2025) and the SEA Games (12/2025).

With outstanding achievements, coach Kim Sang Sik has become a phenomenon in both Vietnamese and Korean media. While Vietnamese press celebrates the former Jeonbuk coach’s accomplishments, Korean media takes pride in having another national coach shine in Vietnam.

Media from both countries place high hopes on Kim Sang Sik as he prepares to lead his team at the U23 Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia in January 2026.