Football

HÀ NỘI — The ASEAN U23 Championship 2025 win has not only helped Việt Nam set regional records, but is also a solid foundation for the team ahead of major tournaments in the future.

Việt Nam successfully defended their crown after a 1-0 victory over Indonesia on July 29 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The win means that for the first time ever, they have won the tournament three times in a row.

Striker Nguyễn Quốc Việt also became the first ever player to compete in three finals. He was 19 and one of the youngest members of the squad that won in 2022.

Coach Kim Sang-sik is the first coach in the history of Southeast Asian football to win regional championship gold medals with both senior and U23 sides, and he did so in just seven months. 

 

"I am very happy that Việt Nam defeated Indonesia and defended the championship title," Kim said in the post-match briefing.

"This is the third consecutive Southeast Asian U23 Championship for Việt Nam. My players didn't give up but fought until the last minute. They remained strong and determined despite the pressure from thousands of Indonesian fans.

"Congratulations to my players and Vietnamese supporters! I am really proud of them."

The coach also surprised supporters by singing in fluent Vietnamese with the team after the match, a clip that's gone viral on social media. 

"I am excited and proud. My players will develop better thanks to this competition. The title is an important stepping stone for our next events," said Kim.

"Players have to improve their skills and ability, which will be good for the 2026 Asian U23 Cup qualification and 33rd SEA Games."

The qualification game for the Asian U23 Cup takes place in September. The SEA Games will be held in December in Thailand, with Việt Nam confident of a victory.

The ASEAN champions arrived back in Hà Nội last night and received VNĐ2 billion (US$72,300) from the Việt Nam Football Federation for their historic victory.

 

They also received a letter of congratulations from Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, who praised the young players' achievement and suggested rewards to motivate the country's future football generation.

PM Chính wrote that the win affirmed the leading position of Vietnamese youth football in the region, and was a clear demonstration of the bravery, talent, team spirit and aspiration to reach new heights for the young players.

He said the team's resilient fighting spirit, confidence, calmness and steadfastness created emotional moments and promoted confidence, pride and strong inspiration to millions of Vietnamese people at home and abroad.

It was not only an excellent achievement in sport but also a symbol of the will to rise and the constant efforts of the Vietnamese youth to reach out to the continental and world arenas.

He asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to coordinate with relevant agencies to promptly reward and encourage the players, coaches and staff. 

He hoped that players would continue to train, maintain their form, be united and modest and further promote the successes they have achieved and obtain more outstanding results in the future. VNS