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The U23 Vietnam players have grown up remarkably.
How do you feel after helping the Vietnam U23 team win the Southeast Asian U23 championship?
- I feel extremely happy. Until now, I still feel the feeling of victory. After returning to Vietnam, my students and I received a warm welcome from the fans.
Coach Kim Sang Sik answered Dan Tri newspaper online on the morning of July 31 (Photo: Quyet Thang).
I feel very proud of my players. The players have shown their best and their achievement is to win the U23 Southeast Asian Championship. Once again, I thank everyone, thank you for always supporting the team.
After the successful tournament, do you see any positive aspects from the U23 Vietnam players?
- I think the tournament is really useful for young Vietnamese players. After the tournament, they have grown up significantly and accumulated valuable experience. That is good for their careers.
Being trained through the Southeast Asian tournament will create a good foundation for the U23 Vietnam players to be ready for the U23 Asian qualifiers (taking place in September) and the 33rd SEA Games (December). We are ready to take on the next challenges.
Can you share about the situation of receiving a yellow card in the final minutes of the match against U23 Indonesia? Was there any pressure at that time because the extra time was too long compared to the regulations?
- The last five minutes were really difficult, during this time the players could lose focus leading to a goal being conceded. It was a long throw-in situation from the opponent, I tried to create something to influence the U23 Indonesia players.
I reacted to the referee to help the U23 Vietnam players have more time to rest and calm down under great pressure.
How do you prepare the U23 Vietnam players mentally when they have to compete under great pressure from Indonesian fans at Bung Karno Stadium?
- Throughout the tournament, the players were always diligent and followed the tactics I set out. The coaching staff always closely encouraged and motivated the players, helping them to be more confident.
I want to be successful like coach Park Hang Seo
Are you surprised to win two AFF Cup 2024 and U23 Southeast Asian championship trophies in just 8 months?
- Before coming here, I didn't dare think I could do it. I don't know what to say to thank the Vietnamese players and fans. Over the past long time, the players have been persistent and hard-working. We are united to achieve results.
Southeast Asian teams like Malaysia and Indonesia are stronger thanks to their naturalized players. In your opinion, what is the appropriate direction for the Vietnamese team to compete with these opponents and maintain its position as the reigning regional champion?
- As everyone knows, the Indonesian, Philippine, and Thai teams have many naturalized players. The main rivals of Vietnamese football are getting stronger. For us, the coaching staff will find young players for the national team. I and the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) are working hard to find a new direction for football to develop further.
In an interview with Dan Tri earlier this year, you set a goal of the Vietnamese team participating in the 2030 World Cup. What are your upcoming plans and strategies to realize that goal?
- Through this tournament, the players have matured a lot. In the future, we will gradually find new factors and new strategies to help the team become stronger towards the goal of the 2030 World Cup.
Do you feel pressured when being compared to coach Park Hang Seo?
- To be able to concentrate and work well in Vietnam, I need the support and encouragement from the fans. Coach Park Hang Seo has given me a lot of advice and teachings to help me do well here. I hope to achieve as many achievements as Mr. Park Hang Seo. I thank the interpreter for helping me work here and helping Vietnamese football develop.
Defeating Indonesia, U23 Vietnam won the U23 Southeast Asian Championship for the third time
On the evening of July 29, the U23 Vietnam team won 1-0 against U23 Indonesia at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (Indonesia) to win the Southeast Asian championship for the third consecutive time.
Before participating in the tournament, the challenge for U23 was huge when the opponents in the Southeast Asian region all showed their determination to win the championship, especially the host country Indonesia. The young team from the archipelago country brought a strong squad to the tournament with many naturalized players, but in the end they still lost to coach Kim Sang Sik's team right at the "fire pit" of Gelora Bung Karno.
Sharing more about the journey to conquer the championship title at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 tournament as well as the upcoming goals of Vietnamese youth football, coach Kim Sang Sik will be interviewed by Dan Tri newspaper reporters this morning (July 31).
Coach Kim Sang Sik was happy when U23 Vietnam won the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship (Photo: VFF).
Asian Newspaper: "U23 Vietnam leads Southeast Asian youth football"
ESPN (Asian version) published an article praising the victory of U23 Vietnam, the content of the article said: "With the enthusiastic cheers of more than 35,000 home fans at Gelora Bung Karno, U23 Indonesia entered the final match of U23 Southeast Asia with the desire to win the championship for the second time. However, their opponent is U23 Vietnam, a team that has won the championship twice and is looking to consolidate its position as the "king" of the region at the U23 level.
As expected, the match was tense and fierce from the very first minutes. Both teams showed courage, ready to compete for every meter, creating a heated atmosphere on the field. However, when the final whistle sounded, bravery and experience spoke up, U23 Vietnam won by a minimum score of 1-0, enough to lift the U23 ASEAN Mandiri Cup 2025 championship trophy.
Vietnam U23 won the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship (Photo: Getty).
Coach Kim Sang Sik: "The players fought to the end to win the Southeast Asian championship"
Speaking after U23 Vietnam won the U23 Southeast Asian Championship, Coach Kim Sang Sik could not hide his joy: "I thank the audience who came to Gelora Bung Karno Stadium to cheer, thank the fans nationwide who always support U23 Vietnam. Today's championship is really great."
Commenting on the U23 Southeast Asian Championship in Indonesia, Coach Kim Sang Sik shared: "I am very happy that U23 Vietnam won against U23 Indonesia. This is the third consecutive U23 Southeast Asian Championship for U23 Vietnam.
The players did not give up, fighting until the last minute. Congratulations to the players, congratulations to the fans, I am very proud of my players. The stadium was mainly filled with Indonesian fans but the players still kept their fighting spirit."
U23 Vietnam played with determination and discipline against U23 Indonesia (Photo: Getty).
Coach Kim Sang Sik had an accident while celebrating the championship with U23 Vietnam
After the final whistle blew, the entire U23 Vietnam team burst into tears after the victory. The players gathered together and threw coach Kim Sang Sik into the air. This was a celebration similar to when the Vietnamese team won the AFF Cup 2024 championship earlier this year.
However, this time, the students of the U23 Vietnam team caused the Korean coach to have an accident. They lost their grip while supporting coach Kim Sang Sik. That caused the strategist born in 1976 to fall to the ground.
Coach Kim Sang Sik held his back with a grimace. However, this did not affect the next celebration of his students. The Korean strategist still raised the championship trophy with the entire U23 Vietnam team.
The students lost their grip while tossing coach Kim Sang Sik into the air, causing him to fall to the ground (Photo: VFF).
Coach Kim Sang Sik was very active on the sidelines throughout the final match to boost his players' morale. Not only that, he also had some interesting "psychological warfare" moves such as preventing player Robi Darwis from throwing the ball, scattering water bottles on the sidelines to make it difficult for the U23 Indonesian players. In addition, the coach born in 1976 also bowed to the referee after receiving a yellow card.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/hlv-kim-sang-sik-toi-co-y-do-rieng-khi-vai-lay-trong-tai-20250731060301490.htm
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