A change of plan

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) initially planned to send an U21 team to the 2026 Asian Games as part of its preparations for the 2027 SEA Games and longer-term objectives.

After reconsidering the plan, however, Vietnam opted to send its U23 team to the Asian Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, in mid-September.

The change makes sense given that Vietnam’s current U23 players have already been playing for clubs in the V-League or First Division, meaning they will need less time to develop an understanding on the pitch.

Using U21 players would have posed a much greater challenge for coach Dinh Hong Vinh and his staff, as most of them have primarily trained with youth teams and would need considerably more time to adapt to the tactical demands.

Sending a competitive squad is also part of the VFF’s responsibility. Although men’s football is only one of many sports at the Asian Games, it consistently attracts considerable interest from Vietnamese fans, making the decision to send the U23 team a reasonable one.

That does not mean the VFF has completely abandoned its goal of developing players for the 2027 SEA Games. More than a full team’s worth of players in the Asian Games squad were born in 2005 or later, leaving Vietnam with a strong pool of young talent for its next major youth competition.

Plenty of reason for optimism

Had Vietnam stuck with its original plan to field an U21 side, reaching the Asian Games knockout stage would clearly have been a more difficult task. The squad ultimately selected offers considerably more reason for optimism.

Most of the notable players on the list have spent the past one or two seasons playing in the V-League. They are therefore familiar with the pressures of professional football and are no strangers to international competition. That experience will provide an important foundation when Vietnam face Uzbekistan, Kuwait and the Philippines in Group C.

Looking at individual positions, Dinh Hong Vinh has a relatively strong squad at his disposal. As many as 13 players were part of the Vietnam U23 team that finished third at the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup, including Van Thuan, Quoc Cuong, Cong Phuong, Le Phat and Ngoc My.

Beyond their ability, these players bring considerable international experience. Several have even represented Vietnam’s senior national team under coach Kim Sang Sik.

In a group featuring Uzbekistan, Kuwait and the Philippines, Vietnam’s current squad has every reason to believe it can secure one of the two places in the next round - and potentially go even further.

Matching the achievement of the generation led by Quang Hai and Cong Phuong, who reached the semifinals of the 2018 Asian Games, will certainly not be easy. Still, with the squad now assembled, Vietnam U23 can head into the tournament, which kicks off on Sept. 15, with confidence.

Duy Nguyen