HÀ NỘI — After being eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup in Jakarta, head coach Diego Giustozzi expressed regret over the result and his pride in the fighting spirit the Vietnamese team displayed throughout the tournament.

Speaking after the 2-3 loss to hosts Indonesia on Tuesday, Giustozzi admitted to having mixed emotions as he and his players concluded the tournament.

“These are very different emotions. I am truly proud of the players and the tournament we’ve been through. However, I am not satisfied with the result, as I believe we deserved at least a draw, or even a win,” the Argentinian coach said.

According to Giustozzi, the team had the potential to achieve a better outcome in this match.

“We did everything to win the match. I’m not happy with the final result, but I am very pleased with the team's performance, both individually and collectively. I believe we are on the right track,” he said.

More broadly, the coach expressed his optimism for the future of Vietnamese futsal and noted that the next phase will be crucial.

“Vietnamese futsal has both a present and a future. However, at this moment, we need to make very important decisions. The players need more experience, they need to play more and face different situations and challenges. I believe Việt Nam are a very good team,” Giustozzi added.

Team captain Nguyễn Mạnh Dũng said he appreciates the experience the players gained in the quarter-final match. 

“This was a fantastic match against the home team in front of thousands of spectators. The whole team gave their all against a very strong opponent. It’s a pity we couldn't advance past the quarter-finals. Thank you to the fans for their unwavering support,” Dũng said.

As for his biggest regret, the captain admitted: “We created more opportunities than our opponents but only scored two goals, while Indonesia scored three. However, what makes me happy is that the entire team played with the utmost spirit.”

Meanwhile, pivot Nguyễn Đa Hải said he believes the quarter-final match provided many important lessons for the players.

“Playing in the passionate atmosphere of the Indonesian pitch was a truly special experience. The whole team performed well and adhered to the tactics set by the coaching staff, it’s just a pity that the final result wasn't what we hoped for,” Hải said.

Reflecting on the tournament as a whole, Hải said he believes the Vietnamese futsal team have made significant progress with each match.

“Before the tournament, we had two friendly matches, which served as excellent preparation. When we entered the tournament, the team were slow to find their rhythm in the first 10 minutes of the match, but we improved and followed the tactics more closely. The biggest lesson we learned from this tournament is finishing. We need to further improve to take advantage of opportunities in future tournaments,” Hải noted.

Việt Nam previously made history on the Asian stage by reaching the semi-finals in 2016, a breakthrough that earned the country its first-ever berth at the FIFA Futsal World Cup. — VNS