The Brazilian coach selected players based on current form and suitability to the team’s playing style, finalizing the list on April 10.

The tournament will run from April 11 to April 23. Vietnam have been drawn in Group A alongside Indonesia, Malaysia, and Timor Leste - a group widely seen as highly competitive. Hosts Indonesia are considered strong contenders with home advantage, while Malaysia have shown notable progress in recent years. Malaysia will be Vietnam’s opening opponent.

“Facing Malaysia in the first match will be very difficult. As in our previous preparation phase, we are approaching each game individually, treating every match like a final. The team has had positive results before, and we carry that same spirit into this tournament,” said Cristiano Roland.

According to the head coach, the current squad features several technically strong players capable of making decisive impacts. He also highlighted clear improvements in individual skills and team coordination compared to previous generations.

On April 10, the Vietnam U17 team departed for Indonesia, where they are scheduled to have at least two training sessions before their opening match against Malaysia at 3:30pm on April 13.

Dai Nam