“First of all, I feel very honored that Vietnam are taking part in ASEAN Cup 2026 as the defending champions. At the same time, we have prepared thoroughly with the goal of winning the tournament, and we are fully confident that we can do that,” Kim said at the pre-match press conference. “In a cup competition, the opening match is always particularly important. That is why the players and I will do everything we can to secure victory against Timor-Leste.”

Assessing Vietnam’s opening opponents, Kim said his coaching staff had studied Timor-Leste extensively.

“We have analyzed them a great deal. Timor-Leste have brought many young players to this tournament. They move well and cover a lot of ground on the pitch,” he said. “Against them, we need to defend against their attacks in an organized way. At the same time, we have identified several weaknesses. If we exploit those weaknesses effectively, we can score plenty of goals and win the match.”

Asked about the pressure of entering the tournament as defending champions, the Vietnam coach said: “It may create a little pressure, but we will turn that pressure into confidence as we enter the competition.

“The players have already experienced what it feels like to become champions, so they understand that feeling of victory very well. If they remain focused and give everything they have, we can win one match at a time and move toward our overall objective,” he added.

“Football always contains surprises, so it is very difficult to predict what will happen. Clearly, coach Park Hang Seo was never able to successfully defend the title either. But our job now is to give our best in every single match and achieve the best possible result. Of course, our goal is to win the championship, but first we have to focus on dealing with each match as it comes,” Kim said.

Timor-Leste determined to spring a surprise against Vietnam

Timor-Leste head coach Jose Pedro, meanwhile, says he wants his team to embrace a style inspired by World Cup champions Spain as they prepare to face Vietnam in their ASEAN Cup 2026 opener.

“Of all the teams taking part in the tournament, we were the last to begin our preparations. Timor-Leste always wanted more time to prepare earlier and to make the greatest possible effort,” Pedro said ahead of the match. “We have come to this tournament aiming to make a good start and leave our own impression.”

Pedro acknowledged the challenge posed by the defending champions.

“We respect Vietnam. They are the defending champions. Vietnam’s three naturalized players make a significant difference and improve the quality of their attack,” he said.

“However, I see Vietnam as a well-balanced team across all three lines, rather than one that depends solely on those three players. They play with great cohesion from defense and midfield through to attack. The three naturalized players can produce something unexpected at any moment, but Vietnam’s fundamental strength lies in the team as a whole,” he said.

Pedro said Timor-Leste would rely on the same collective spirit that helped the team advance through qualifying.

“Timor-Leste’s greatest strength is our unity and collective spirit. We operate as one unit rather than relying on any individual,” he said. “The whole team showed that in the qualifiers against Brunei. Training and fighting together helped us earn our place in the group stage. Only that collective spirit can help us produce a surprise against a very strong opponent like Vietnam.”

Asked to compare Timor-Leste with a team from the World Cup, Pedro chose Spain.

“Although our level is still very far from theirs, I have always admired the Spanish style of possession football. I want my players to keep the ball as much as possible,” he said. “Controlling the ball is the best way to approach the opposition goal and create opportunities. That is the direction in which I am building Timor-Leste, so we can become the best team we are capable of being.”

Vietnam and Timor-Leste kick off at 8:30 p.m. on July 24 in Chonburi, Thailand.

Dai Nam