On January 10, Coach Kim left for South Korea to reunite with his family after 3–4 months apart. The 1976-born coach expressed his longing for a meal with his wife and children, having only briefly visited his home during Vietnam’s training camp in South Korea ahead of the ASEAN Cup.

A triumphant return and cherished moments

The most meaningful gift Coach Kim brought home to his family was the 2024 ASEAN Cup trophy.

This marked his first triumph as head coach of a national team, exceeding his initial expectations of simply reaching the finals with the "Golden Star Warriors."

“When I won the league with Jeonbuk in Korea, it was incredible. But winning the 2024 ASEAN Cup with Vietnam is the greatest achievement of my life,” Coach Kim shared.

Plans for 2025 and beyond

Following his family time, Coach Kim will resume his duties with the Vietnamese national team.

In 2025, he faces two significant challenges: advancing through the final qualifying rounds of the 2027 Asian Cup and reclaiming the SEA Games gold medal in Thailand.

“Our goal is to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup and win SEA Games 33. To achieve this, I plan to scout upcoming matches for new talent for the national team,” Coach Kim said.

He acknowledged that while the ASEAN Cup victory was a momentous milestone, achieving greater heights would require meticulous preparation and unwavering effort.

Coach Kim revealed that during his next return to Vietnam, he might bring his family to experience Tet for the first time.

The head coach, who has grown fond of Vietnamese culture, admitted that one of the things he’ll miss most during his time away is a bowl of pho (Vietnamese noodle soup).

Dai Nam