Football  

Kim Sang-sik (in black) and his players pay tribute to supporters after the SEA Games win. — Photos courtesy of VFF

HÀ NỘI — Kim Sang-sik, who has become Việt Nam's most successful foreign coach in the ASEAN arena after his SEA Games victory, is now making plans to lead his side to its first World Cup.

Prior to the 33rd SEA Games, Kim led his side to win the ASEAN Cup in January and Southeast Asian U23 Championships six months later. With a remarkable record and three regional titles within one year, Kim has built up a team who are now called the 'kings of ASEAN football'. No other coach in Việt Nam's history, not even Park Hang-seo, the most successful coach prior to Kim, has achieved such a feat.

Speaking to reporters at the Việt Nam Football Federation headquarters in Hà Nội, Kim revealed behind-the-scenes stories of the U22 squad and his views for the future.

"My wife turned off the TV when Việt Nam trailed 0-2 in the first half, I don't even know if it was still intact," Kim said at the start of the interview on December 22.

He had also previously admitted to South Korean media that he just wanted to find a hole to crawl into after the Thai side scored the two nightmare goals.

However, he said, Việt Nam's strong defence for the rest of the first half was key to helping them turn the tide.

"In the first half, the players were a little tense. They didn't follow the plan exactly, and we faced many difficulties in playing well," said Kim, who added that he had tried to boost players' morale.

"During the interval in the locker room, I reminded them not to give up. For some players, this was their last SEA Games, so I told them they shouldn't have any regrets.

"I encouraged them, saying if they could play as well as we planned, they could overcome the situation despite being 2-0 behind. I also reminded them that their senior players won the ASEAN Cup in this stadium earlier this year, so they could also do it."

Kim Sang-sik speaks to reporters on December 22.

Việt Nam's incredible comeback to win 3-2 was hailed as a "miracle" by fans and international media, while Kim considered it a great achievement through the players' efforts.

"It doesn't happen regularly in sports, and especially in football. It resulted from their sweat, hard work and dedication. That's what the real miracle is. I am really happy with that and hope to create more success," said the South Korean, adding that he and his players worked hard to win the titles that made 2025 an unforgettable year in his career.

World Cup target

Kim has had three days of rest before he takes charge of the U23 team to prepare for the AFC Asian Cup next month in Saudi Arabia.

The continental arena will be the ground where Kim, who turned 49 on December 17, is set to prove his ability and reach some of the same historic achievements that his predecessor Park did during his reign.

"In almost two years here, my CV has improved. I'm very happy working with the Vietnamese players, who still need to develop further and overcome their shortcomings.

"We will meet with much stronger rivals in upcoming events. In our training, I will try to improve our problems, especially scoring skills. I find that a player's individual ability is the deciding factor in a match."

Kim, who chose Việt Nam to begin his national team career as head coach, has set his sights on further competitions.

"I think we have to set more ambitious goals, like the Asian Championship and World Cup, to strive for. As head coach, I will guide players and help Vietnamese football to the best of my ability," he said.

He added that he also expects Vietnamese players to go abroad to improve themselves and further develop football in Việt Nam. —VNS