U23 Vietnam - victory thanks to the old formula

For the current Vietnamese teams, this is considered the right path before thinking about strong changes in playing style.

U23 Vietnam has had a winning streak in the 2025 Asian Cup qualifiers. *Photo: TPO*

Back to the old formula

It must also be mentioned that after parting with coach Park Hang-seo, Vietnamese football had to part with the pragmatic playing style, even though that was the formula that created resounding success in the 2018-2022 period.

Under French coach Philippe Troussier, the national teams and the U23 national team are oriented towards a ball-controlling style of play, which is completely different from the way of playing under coach Park Hang-seo. This style of play is also in line with the modern football trend favored by the world's top teams, but perhaps it is not suitable for the technical foundation and tactical thinking of Vietnamese players. That leads to a decline in the performance of the national teams and the U23 national team. And parting with a coach as famous as Philippe Troussier is inevitable.

At that time, the Vietnam Football Federation turned to Korean coaches, who may not bring eye-catching playing styles but ensure a higher success rate. For them, football is not only about beautiful coordination or free-flowing attacking play, but first and foremost about caution, balance between attack and defense, and absolute priority for results.

Coach Park Hang-seo built the U23 Vietnam team into a disciplined team, knowing how to seize every opportunity and defend solidly. The resounding success at the U23 Asian Championship in Changzhou (China) in 2018, or the gold medals at the SEA Games 2019 and 2021, all came from that foundation. His successor, Kim Sang-sik, is also following the same philosophy.

And thanks to that, the national team won the AFF Cup 2024, the U23 Vietnam team won the U23 Southeast Asia Championship 2025 despite not being rated the highest. And recently, they passed the qualifying round of the U23 Asia Championship 2026. This is the sixth consecutive time that U23 Vietnam has been named among the continent's best teams, a clear demonstration of the stability of their achievements.

It is worth mentioning that when only considering matches under the guidance of Korean coaches, U23 Vietnam is even more perfect. Under coach Park Hang-seo (5 matches) and coach Kim Sang-sik (3 matches), the team won all 8 matches, scored 17 goals and did not concede any. Those are statistics that any young team in the region would dream of.

Good start for SEA Games 33

In the context of youth football often fluctuating unpredictably, maintaining stability like U23 Vietnam is a valuable thing. Fans can expect explosive performances, but in the end, what makes the value is still the final result. No one can complain when the team continuously wins, participates in big tournaments and affirms its position in the region.

In fact, pragmatic style is also the trend of many developed football countries. Even the world's top teams do not hesitate to play tightly, calculating every detail to ensure an advantage. With a young team like U23 Vietnam, prioritizing certainty becomes even more necessary, helping players gain more confidence and experience in battle.

The 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers have concluded, with Vietnam U23 not only securing a ticket to the finals but also having an important step forward for the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand at the end of the year. What coach Kim Sang-sik and his team have shown shows that they are on the right track. Proper rotation of the squad, timely tactical adjustments and maintaining cohesion are the foundations for the team to continue to reap success.

Of course, there are still many issues that need to be improved. Coach Kim himself admitted that his students must learn to be calmer in the penalty area and increase their concentration at decisive moments. These are small details but can make a big difference in important tournaments.

In football, results are always the measure of value. U23 Vietnam has chosen a sure, patient and effective path. And when that path continues to bring success, there is no reason to change. If we want to find another formula for success in terms of playing style, it certainly cannot be done as quickly as under coach Philippe Troussier. That must lie in the long-term calculation related to building a national youth training system to clubs as well as a domestic competition system. That is a story that has been proven not only in football but also in many other areas of life.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/u23-viet-nam-chien-thang-nho-cong-thuc-cu-715827.html