Thirteen young Vietnamese players have been disciplined for misconduct.

During December 2025, 13 players involved in the U19 National qualifying rounds faced penalties due to subpar performance.

At the end of 2025, Vietnamese youth football was shaken by a series of strict disciplinary actions from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF). A total of 13 players from teams competing in the 2025-2026 U19 National qualifiers were sanctioned for not playing to their abilities. This unprecedented tough stance aims to uphold the integrity and fairness of the competition.

The peak of this crackdown occurred on December 31, when the VFF Disciplinary Committee issued decisions numbered 1263 through 1270. The group of eight players including Duong Thanh Tu, Vo Xuan Thien, Tran Nhat Luong, Thai Ba Bao Hoang, Nguyen Dai Hue (U19 Hoai Duc); Doan Quoc Huy, goalkeeper Vu Tuan Anh (U19 Luxury Ha Long), and Dao Minh Tri (U19 Dao Ha) were all suspended until the end of the tournament and fined 3.75 million VND each.

Just two days earlier, the U19 Be Tong 26 team also received severe sanctions for similar misconduct.. Players Tran Quang Duy and Truong Phu Quy from that team were suspended until the end of the competition. Meanwhile, teammates Tran Trieu Anh Khoa, Dinh Duy Bao, and goalkeeper Nguyen Cong Thuan were banned for the next five matches and fined 2.5 million VND each for similar violations.

The fact that 13 players were accused of "not playing to their potential" in a short period is a serious warning about professionalism and negative behavior in youth leagues. According to the VFF, these actions are not merely technical faults but seriously damage the federation’s image and the healthy development of national football.

The suspension penalties until the end of the tournament for most offending players demonstrate the Disciplinary Committee’s zero-tolerance approach. Losing so many key players simultaneously puts teams like U19 Hoai Duc and U19 Be Tong 26 at risk of collapse and severe personnel crises for the remainder of the season.

The firm message from the VFF at year’s end serves as a late but necessary warning to youth academies. Integrity must be the top priority because if young talents adopt a negative mindset from the U19 level, the future of the national teams will be seriously jeopardized.