MKEY GOAL
The 2024 AFF Cup championship helped coach Kim Sang-sik have a dream start with the Vietnamese team. After only 6 months in charge, his first time in charge at the national team level, the Korean coach has had “sweet results”. Thanks to his steely spirit and determination, coach Kim Sang-sik built a resilient Vietnamese team that overcame all obstacles to defeat Thailand in the final. Although it is not the first time Vietnamese football has won the Southeast Asian throne, this is a very important championship. After 2 quiet years with failures in the 2023 Asian Cup and 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Vietnamese football needs a push to return. This new period requires meticulousness from the smallest things and the AFF Cup championship has helped Mr. Kim and his students restore public trust.
Coach Kim Sang-sik gave an interview to the newspaper Adolescent
After the AFF Cup 2024, the Vietnamese team will embark on the second goal, lighter, but equally important, which is the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will aim for the top spot in the tournament. The group includes Malaysia, Laos and Nepal. Unlike previous qualifying rounds, this time only the group winner will have tickets to advance. Therefore, no mistakes are allowed, because if they stumble, the ticket to the final round will be out of reach.
Mr. Kim Sang-sik and reporter Mai Phuong
Photo: Tuan Minh
If Laos and Nepal are both underdogs, Malaysia is an obstacle that the Vietnamese team needs to be wary of. “Tiger” failed in the group stage of AFF Cup 2024 because it could not summon the strongest squad (because AFF Cup is not within the FIFA Days framework, many clubs refused to release people). The deterioration in the national championship also holds back Malaysian football, but in general this country’s team is still a formidable opponent, especially when playing at Bukit Jalil’s home field. The Vietnamese team needs to plan clear goals. In the context of the Asian Cup taking place spread out over 6 gathering sessions, Mr. Kim’s teachers and students need to maintain stability in terms of people and playing style. If they compete properly, the ticket to Saudi Arabia to play in the 2027 Asian Cup finals is within the reach of coach Kim Sang-sik and his students.
XCONSTRUCTION OF NEXT CLASS
Besides the Vietnamese team, coach Kim Sang-sik will lead U.23 Vietnam to participate in two important playgrounds: the U.23 Asian qualifiers (September) and SEA Games 33 (December). Vietnamese football has qualified for the U.23 Asian qualifiers in the last 5 tournaments. Therefore, participating in the 2026 continental finals is an important task for coach Kim Sang-sik.
In addition, after two championships in 2019 and 2022, U.22 Vietnam “fell short” at SEA Games 32 when they only won the bronze medal. The goal set by the Vietnam Football Federation for Mr. Kim at SEA Games 33 could be to reach the final.
Overall, after 7 months of training, coach Kim Sang-sik has become familiar with the national team and grasps the overall picture of Vietnamese football. However, at the youth level, Mr. Kim has only had a few days coaching the U.23 team. The short period of time makes it difficult for the Korean military leader to grasp the potential and level of each “rough gem”. Investing in the youth team can be Coach Kim’s training focus, not only to accomplish his goals in the U.23 team, but also to find the next generation, ready to replace the seniors in the Vietnamese team in the future. near future.
