On the evening of April 24, Vietnam U17 secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Malaysia in the final to lift the trophy. The triumph marked a historic milestone, as the team became the most successful in the tournament’s history with four titles.

In addition to the championship, Vietnam U17 earned two major individual awards. Ly Xuan Hoa was named Best Goalkeeper, while Nguyen Luc received the award for Best Player of the tournament. Meanwhile, Nguyen Van Duong made a strong impression with six goals.

These young players are considered among the most promising talents in Vietnamese football.

“Despite limited preparation time, the whole team stayed united and gave everything for the national colors. The tournament was a valuable experience that helped us learn a lot from regional opponents. We are grateful to coach Roland and the coaching staff for their trust and guidance,” Van Duong shared.

The striker emphasized that the team would continue to train hard in preparation for their next goal - the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup finals, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early May.

Following their successful campaign, Vietnam U17 received a bonus of VND1.1 billion (US$45,000) from the Vietnam Football Federation. The team is set to return home on April 26 before regrouping after a short break to prepare for the upcoming continental tournament.

At the Asian finals, Vietnam U17 will compete in a group alongside South Korea, the UAE and Yemen. With FIFA expanding the 2026 U17 World Cup to 48 teams, new opportunities have opened up. A place in the quarterfinals would be enough for coach Cristiano Roland’s side to turn their World Cup dream into reality.

Malaysia media hail Vietnam U17’s dominance in regional final

Malaysia’s media have openly acknowledged the superiority of Vietnam’s U17 side, admitting their team was simply outclassed in the Southeast Asian championship final.

Vietnam claimed the title in emphatic fashion with a 3-0 victory over Malaysia, who had already suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat to the same opponent in the group stage.

“Malaysia’s hopes of revenge against Vietnam vanished into thin air after a 0-3 loss in the U17 Southeast Asian final,” Bernama wrote, reflecting the mood across the country’s press.

The outlet did not hesitate in its assessment, noting that Malaysia could not match Vietnam’s overwhelming strength and far more structured style of play throughout the match.

Vietnam took control early, with Quy Vuong opening the scoring in the 11th minute. Malaysia had a chance to equalize nine minutes later but failed to capitalize. Just before halftime, Van Duong doubled the lead and later completed his brace in the 55th minute, effectively ending Malaysia’s title ambitions.

Meanwhile, New Straits Times described Vietnam as “too sharp” for Malaysia in the final, emphasizing the clear gap in quality between the two sides.

Despite entering the match determined to spring a surprise, especially after their heavy group-stage defeat, Malaysia were unable to bridge the difference. Vietnam applied pressure from the opening whistle, forcing goalkeeper Adam Nurfakrullah Fadli into several saves before eventually breaking through.

The relentless attacking display continued, with Van Duong extending the lead deep into first-half stoppage time. Malaysia attempted to respond after the break but found no way through, and Vietnam’s third goal sealed a comprehensive victory.

The triumph marked Vietnam’s fourth U17 Southeast Asian title, following earlier successes in 2006, 2010 and 2017, further cementing their status as the region’s leading youth football powerhouse.

Indonesia media hails Vietnam U17 supremacy in regional final

The resounding victory of Vietnam’s U17 team over Malaysia in the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship final has drawn widespread admiration from Indonesian media.

There was little room for surprise, as Vietnam U17 national football team turned Gelora Delta Stadium into their own stage, lifting the championship trophy in commanding fashion.

Under the guidance of head coach Cristiano Roland, the team controlled the match from start to finish, securing a 3-0 win against Malaysia U17 national football team.

The victory earned praise from Indonesian media outlets, despite disappointment following their own team’s earlier elimination.

CNN Indonesia described Vietnam as completely superior to Malaysia, and even to other youth teams in the region.

“Vietnam’s U17 team became champions of the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 tournament after defeating Malaysia 3-0 in the final,” the outlet wrote.

The report noted that the two teams had already met in the group stage, where Vietnam secured a convincing 4-0 win.

Entering the final, the “Golden Star Warriors” once again aimed for a dominant result. The young players in red continuously applied pressure and launched aggressive attacks against the Malaysian side.

Vietnam created an early opportunity from a corner in the fourth minute. The breakthrough came in the 11th minute when Dao Quy Vuong found the back of the net.

After sustained attacking efforts, Vietnam doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time, with Nguyen Van Duong scoring.

Holding a 2-0 advantage, Vietnam maintained control and attacking momentum in the second half.

Less than 11 minutes after the restart, they extended their lead further, as Van Duong completed his brace to make it 3-0.

The team continued to dominate possession and dictate the pace until the final whistle.

This marks Vietnam’s fourth U17 Southeast Asian title, making them the most successful team in the competition’s history.

Meanwhile, Bolasport also highlighted Vietnam’s emphatic triumph, noting that the team had effectively secured victory by the 54th minute with three goals.

In contrast, Malaysia posed little threat throughout the match, with their attacking efforts consistently neutralized by Vietnam’s defense.

Ngoc Huy - Dai Nam