Vietnam head coach Kim Sang-sik could welcome several experienced players back for November's FIFA international window, with in-form strikers pushing for a recall. But earning a place at the 2027 AFC Asian Cup will be a much tougher challenge.

Vietnam head coach Kim Sang-sik has just weeks to assess his squad before November's international window, with injuries and a punishing club schedule complicating preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

Vietnam's fourth-place finish at the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 was disappointing, but hardly a disaster. The bigger concern is whether coach Kim Sang-sik can adapt as regional rivals continue to improve.