On the evening of November 13, the Vietnamese team had its first training session in the Philippines, just 5 hours after being in Manila to prepare for the competition with the home team in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, taking place at 6 p.m. time on November 16.
In an interview before the training session, midfielder Do Hung Dung said that the whole team had been fully conveyed ideas and tactical requirements by coach Troussier. The competition for spots will be very fierce, no name is certain to be used by the French teacher.
“The preparation process of the Vietnamese team is complete, the match will prove what the players have received and will be able to implement from the coaching staff. The whole team has only gathered for a few days, but counting the time Previously training with Coach Troussier, the Vietnamese team actually had 8 months to get acquainted and prepare.
From the beginning, Coach Troussier communicated and helped us understand and feel what the coach wanted, as well as the pressures during training sessions and team meetings. It’s not easy at all to wear the national team shirt. Because no one is sure to have a spot on the team, each gathering has a different list,” Hung Dung emphasized.
Hung Dung once played for Vietnam U.22 playing at SEA Games 30, also at Rizal Memorial Stadium in the Philippines 4 years ago. He played impressively throughout the tournament, authoring a goal in the final, helping the home team win against U.22 Indonesia with a score of 3-0.
The 30-year-old player shared: “The feeling of Rizal Memorial Stadium is very familiar, because I once played on this field at the SEA Games. But the past is over, my whole team and I are focusing on the match against the Philippines team.” Of course, what happened helped us play more confidently. In general, it was a motivation to help us be more mentally stable.
The Vietnamese team rarely plays on artificial turf. However, this is a common difficulty for both teams. The Philippines team only has a few players playing on artificial turf. We share both difficulties and advantages with our opponents.”
Talking about opponents Philippines, Hung Dung said that with the majority of the squad playing in Southeast Asian tournaments such as Thailand, Malaysia or Indonesia, the match between the Vietnamese team and the Philippines is a Southeast Asian “civil war”. means.
“The Philippine players mainly play in Southeast Asia and their new coach from June also works in the region. I think even though this is a World Cup qualifying match, it is only a civil war in the region. Southeast Asia only,” Hung Dung emphasized.
The player playing for the Hanoi Club concluded: “This is a match that marks a turning point for Vietnamese football. Myself and the whole team have been very focused all the time. The whole team is mentally and professionally prepared.” subjects for this match.
Hope the audience supports the team. Maybe the recent results were not good, causing people to have thoughts. However, I hope the fans stand side by side with the team, and the players always enter the field with the spirit of playing hard, doing the best for the team and the fans.”