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U16 Vietnam failed at the Southeast Asian Championship. Photo: VFF

In early July, the U16 Vietnam team aimed to reach the final of the Southeast Asian Championship to pave the way for the U17 Asian Cup qualifiers in 2025. However, Coach Tran Minh Chien’s goal was not achieved as the team was eliminated in the semifinals and subsequently lost the third-place match against Indonesia.

With the U16 team falling short, fans pinned their hopes on the U19 Vietnam team, led by Coach Hua Hien Vinh, as they prepared for the Southeast Asian Championship. Yet, after two matches, the U19 Vietnam team managed only one point against Myanmar and lost 2-6 to U19 Australia, almost eliminating their chances of reaching the semifinals.

The failures of U16 and U19 Vietnam have cast a shadow over the first half of 2024 for Vietnamese football, following the national team's and U23's unsuccessful attempts in the World Cup qualifiers and U23 Asian Cup.

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U19 Vietnam’s exit from the Southeast Asian Championship is not unexpected. Photo: VFF

The disappointment of the youth teams’ performance at regional tournaments is significant, especially considering how Vietnamese football previously dominated the Southeast Asian scene with these age groups.

Nevertheless, the recent setbacks of U16 and U19 Vietnam are not entirely surprising when examining the current state of youth football in the country.

Efforts to maintain a national league system for youth teams seem insufficient, coupled with the decline in the quality or closure of many training academies, leading to a reduced talent pool for the national youth teams.

Typically, young players participate in 10-15 matches per year, including national league finals, with regular opportunities even less frequent. Without consistent playing time, young players face intense competition from older, established players, like Dinh Bac and Quoc Viet, who still feature in the U21 national qualifiers.

These issues are not new, but past successes at youth and national levels might have created a false sense of security that the current path was correct and did not require change. Unfortunately, football evolves through different phases, and failing to adapt can lead to further setbacks. If significant actions are not taken, Vietnamese football may face more disappointing outcomes in the future.

Duy Nguyen