Football

Kim Sang-sik instructs his players during a practice on July 1. The team is now in South Korea for an intensive training course. — Photos courtesy of VFF

HÀ NỘI — Coach Kim Sang-sik and his men left for South Korea on July 2 for an intensive training course ahead of the ASEAN Cup 2026 later this month.

After one week of training in Hà Nội, Kim said the players had improved their understanding of his ideas and built a stronger fitness foundation. The upcoming training camp in his home country will be crucial for him to assess their abilities and fine-tune the team's tactics, as he works towards selecting the best squad for the regional tournament.

Asked about the performance of heritage and naturalised players who joined the team for the first time, Kim said Lê Giang Patrik and Nguyễn Tài Lộc were quality additions that would provide the squad with more options.

“Their presence makes us stronger than in previous training camps. Based on their performances and the players’ understanding of our tactics, we will build a united team with various player combinations, from which we will choose the most suitable approach for each opponent and match,” he said.

The South Korean coach praised U23 players, including Nguyễn Nhật Minh, Nguyễn Ngọc Mỹ and Đinh Quang Kiệt, who have been called to serve the senior national team for this campaign.

“I have watched many V.League matches to evaluate the young players. They all showed progress and good development potential. Picking them for the national team will foster healthy competition within the squad, while also testing new resources for the future,” said Kim, who is also keeping his eyes on players with injuries. 

Senior defender Đỗ Duy Mạnh and two younger players, Khuất Văn Khang and Lê Ngọc Bảo, are recovering and are expected to join their teammates training in South Korea.

Meanwhile, the coach said he regretted that overseas Vietnamese player Ngô Đăng Khoa had to leave the side because his injury will take weeks to recover, and he couldn't play in the upcoming cup.

“Khoa is young, but he shows high quality. Unfortunately, he cannot continue with us during this training camp," Kim said.

Vietnamese players training in Hà Nội for the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

Kim also expressed appreciation for his new assistant Kim Do-heon, who arrived last week to take on the task of sharpening players' skills. His experience competing in the K.League and English Premier League, as well as training work at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC, will help the Vietnamese players improve, especially those on the middle and front lines.

As planned, players will remain in South Korea until July 14. In addition to their practice, they will play three matches with local clubs in the K.League 3, K.League 2 and K.League 1. 

They will then come back home to prepare for an international friendly with Myanmar in Thái Nguyên Province, considered a last test before their ASEAN Cup title defence.

Defender Đoàn Văn Hậu said he couldn't wait to play, and expects to lift the trophy with Việt Nam for the second time.

He said his first championship title in 2018 was a great memory, adding that this time around he is really focused on giving his best performance, since he came back to the team after three years recovering from injuries.

“The 2018 title is far back, but still a milestone in my career. Now, I look towards the future, which will feature my comeback after a long absence," said Hậu.

"It will be my first time training for a major tournament after several years. My target, which is also Việt Nam's goal, is to achieve the highest result.

"Currently, I am in good physical condition. I hope for good luck and no injuries. I am ready for the challenges ahead," he said. — VNS