Southeast Asian fans erupt as Thailand faces Indonesia in the AFF final

The encounter between Indonesia and Thailand in the 2025 Southeast Asian U16 futsal final swiftly turned into a hot topic on social platforms throughout Southeast Asia.

On the afternoon of December 27, Vietnam's U16 futsal team secured a 5-3 victory over Brunei's U16 futsal in the final group stage match. However, this result was still insufficient for Vietnam's U16 futsal team to reach the final. In the other group match, Thailand's U16 futsal team drew 3-3 with Indonesia's U16 futsal. This draw placed Vietnam third with 7 points and a +1 goal difference, behind Thailand and Indonesia, who earned the spots in the 2025 Southeast Asian U16 futsal final.

Immediately after the final pairing was confirmed, a wave of comments from Southeast Asian fans rapidly erupted. A Thai supporter expressed confidence by saying: “When we meet again, Thailand will easily defeat Indonesia.” 

Meanwhile, Indonesian fans held opposing views. One passionate supporter from the archipelago sharply commented: “Thailand is always ready to do whatever it takes to beat Indonesia.”

Alongside heated opinions, there were also many sarcastic or humorous remarks. A Malaysian fan posted a noteworthy status: “Indonesia vs Thailand + Vietnam”, implying the intense rivalry among the three strongest futsal and football nations in the region.

Conversely, some Indonesian fans chose to soothe tensions by writing: “Thailand and Indonesia, let's be good friends for a long time.”

Notably, some Indonesian comments questioned Thailand's performance in both football and youth futsal. One remark stated: “In football and futsal, Thailand has declined significantly; could this be a consequence of Patrick’s dismissal?” 

As for Vietnam, although they did not qualify for the final, the U16 futsal team still showed many positive signs. They finished the group stage with a draw against Indonesia, wins over Myanmar and Brunei, and only a loss to host Thailand. According to the schedule, Vietnam’s U16 futsal will face Myanmar’s U16 futsal in the third-place playoff on December 29.