Southeast Asian fans erupted in reaction as all Vietnamese national teams ended up empty-handed at the AFF tournament.

In the third-place match of the 2025 Southeast Asian U16 Futsal Championship, Vietnam’s U16 futsal team failed to repeat their group stage win over Myanmar, as their opponents started stronger, took an early lead, and maintained a tight defense. Despite efforts to push forward in the second half and a goal by Gia Bảo to reduce the deficit, Coach Trịnh Hữu Thành’s players could not reverse the situation, losing 1-2 and finishing fourth.

Hours later, the Vietnam U19 futsal team played a thrilling third-place match against Malaysia’s U19 squad, taking an early lead through Trương Hoàng Long’s goal, defending well for most of the game but losing their advantage in the final minutes of the second half with two quick goals conceded. Thạc Hiếu managed to equalize, sending the match to penalties, where Malaysia prevailed 4-3, leaving Vietnam’s futsal team to finish fourth with regret.

Both the U16 and U19 Vietnamese futsal teams lost their third-place matches at the 2025 Southeast Asian Championship (Photo: ASEAN FOOTBALL).

On the ASEAN FOOTBALL fanpage, a flood of comments from Southeast Asian fans appeared immediately after the matches concluded. A Thai supporter remarked: “The Vietnamese will again claim they do not focus on futsal but only care about 11-a-side football.”

Another fan commented: “Vietnamese futsal is not strong, that’s a truth the Vietnamese don’t want to accept.”

Conversely, many Indonesian fans showed empathy. One wrote: “Congrats to Vietnam for placing fourth”, while another remarked that Vietnamese futsal was unlucky: “It’s unfortunate for Vietnam, from nearly making the final to falling to fourth, come back stronger.” An Indonesian fan was surprised by the outcomes of the two Vietnamese futsal teams: “The results are somewhat surprising.”

Southeast Asian fans reacted differently as Vietnam’s futsal teams ended the AFF tournament without trophies (Photo: Changsuek).

Both the U16 and U19 Vietnamese futsal teams ending the tournament in fourth place marked a sad day for the nation’s futsal. Earlier, at SEA Games 33, the Vietnamese men’s futsal team also finished fourth despite aiming for gold.

The mixed responses from Southeast Asian fans show that Vietnamese futsal continues to attract strong regional interest but also highlights increasing pressure on the youth teams. Following repeated defeats, Vietnamese futsal clearly requires more time, deeper squad strength, and mental toughness in key moments to return more powerfully in the future.

In the third-place match of the 2025 Southeast Asian U16 Futsal Championship, Vietnam’s U16 futsal team failed to replicate their group stage victory over Myanmar, as the opponents started better, scored early, and kept a solid defense. Despite efforts to press in the second half and a goal by Gia Bảo narrowing the score, Coach Trịnh Hữu Thành’s players could not turn the game around, losing 1-2 and finishing fourth.

Hours later, the Vietnam U19 futsal team entered a dramatic third-place match against Malaysia’s U19 team, taking an early lead through Trương Hoàng Long’s goal, defending firmly most of the time but losing their advantage late in the second half with two quick goals conceded. Thạc Hiếu equalized to send the game into penalties, where Malaysia showed greater composure to win 4-3, leaving Vietnam’s futsal team to finish fourth with disappointment.

Both the U16 and U19 Vietnamese futsal teams lost their third-place matches at the 2025 Southeast Asian Championship (Photo: ASEAN FOOTBALL).

A wave of comments from Southeast Asian fans appeared on the ASEAN FOOTBALL fanpage right after the matches ended. A Thai fan noted: “The Vietnamese will again claim they don’t focus on futsal but only on 11-a-side football.”

Another fan added: “Vietnamese futsal is not strong, a fact the Vietnamese don’t want to acknowledge.”

Meanwhile, many Indonesian fans showed sympathy. One wrote: “Congrats to Vietnam for finishing fourth”, while another comment said Vietnamese futsal was unlucky: “It’s unfortunate for Vietnam, from nearly reaching the final to finishing fourth, come back stronger.” An Indonesian fan expressed surprise at the results of the two Vietnamese futsal teams: “The results are somewhat unexpected.”

Southeast Asian fans showed mixed reactions as Vietnam’s futsal teams ended the AFF tournament without any trophies (Photo: Changsuek).

Both the U16 and U19 Vietnamese futsal teams finishing fourth concluded a disappointing day for the nation’s futsal. Previously, at SEA Games 33, the Vietnamese men’s futsal team also ended fourth despite aiming for the gold medal.

The diverse reactions from Southeast Asian fans highlight that Vietnamese futsal still garners significant regional interest but also reveals mounting pressure on the youth teams. After consecutive losses, Vietnamese futsal clearly needs more time, greater squad depth, and resilience in critical moments to come back stronger in the future.

In the third-place match of the 2025 Southeast Asian U16 Futsal Championship, Vietnam’s U16 futsal team failed to repeat their group stage win over Myanmar, as the opponents started stronger, scored early, and maintained a tight defense. Despite efforts to push forward in the second half and a goal by Gia Bảo reducing the deficit, Coach Trịnh Hữu Thành’s team could not overturn the result, losing 1-2 and finishing fourth.

Hours later, the Vietnam U19 futsal team contested a dramatic third-place match against Malaysia’s U19 team, taking an early lead through Trương Hoàng Long’s goal, defending well for most of the game but losing their advantage in the final minutes of the second half with two quick goals conceded. Thạc Hiếu equalized to send the game to a penalty shootout, where Malaysia showed greater composure to win 4-3, leaving Vietnam’s futsal team to finish fourth with disappointment.

Both the U16 and U19 Vietnamese futsal teams lost their third-place matches at the 2025 Southeast Asian Championship (Photo: ASEAN FOOTBALL).

Immediately after the matches ended, a flood of comments from Southeast Asian fans appeared on the ASEAN FOOTBALL fanpage. A Thai supporter remarked: “The Vietnamese will again claim they do not prioritize futsal but only focus on 11-a-side football.”

Another fan said: “Vietnamese futsal is not strong, a fact the Vietnamese do not want to admit.”

Meanwhile, many Indonesian fans expressed sympathy. One wrote: “Congratulations to Vietnam for finishing fourth”, while another comment suggested Vietnamese futsal was unlucky: “It’s unfortunate for Vietnam, from nearly reaching the final to finishing fourth, come back stronger.” An Indonesian fan was surprised by the results of the two Vietnamese futsal teams: “The results are somewhat unexpected.”

Southeast Asian fans reacted with mixed feelings as Vietnam’s futsal teams ended the AFF tournament without trophies (Photo: Changsuek).

Both the U16 and U19 Vietnamese futsal teams finishing fourth marked a sad day for the country’s futsal. Previously, at SEA Games 33, the Vietnamese men’s futsal team also finished fourth despite aiming for gold.

The mixed reactions from Southeast Asian fans indicate that Vietnamese futsal still receives substantial regional attention but also reflects increasing pressure on the youth teams. Following consecutive defeats, Vietnamese futsal clearly requires more time, deeper squad depth, and mental strength at decisive moments to return stronger in the future.