Vietnam: From Hope to Disappointment in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers

On a June evening in 2026, My Dinh Stadium was silent. The fans had left after the final whistle of Vietnam's last match in the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. They didn't shout, didn't cry, only quietly walked out of the gate. On the stands, an elderly man remained seated, looking at the green pitch as if wanting to memorize every blade of grass. That was the moment Vietnamese football had to face the truth: the journey had ended, but the road ahead was still unclear. In the second round, Vietnam was placed in a group with Iraq, Indonesia, and the Philippines. This group was considered relatively balanced, but for Vietnamese fans, it was an opportunity to write history. However, from the first match, the team showed serious problems. The tactics of head coach Philippe Troussier – who was expected to bring a modern possession-based style – turned out to be a mess. The starting lineup changed constantly, players had no fixed positions, and the connection between the lines was almost nonexistent. Vietnam's failure was not just about points. It was about how the team operated. In matches, Vietnam frequently lost the ball in midfield, leaving the defense exposed to quick counterattacks. The midfield lacked a true playmaker. Nguyen Quang Hai, once the biggest hope, was pushed to the wing and had no space to utilize his strengths. Nguyen Tien Linh, the main striker, had to drop deep to receive the ball, but had no support ahead. The result was harmless long shots and meaningless crosses. Furthermore, the defense lacked solidity. Center-back Do Duy Manh had turned 30, and his speed had noticeably declined. The full-backs often pushed high but couldn't recover in time, leaving huge gaps for opponents to exploit. In matches against Iraq and Indonesia, these gaps were ruthlessly punished. Vietnam's conceded goals in the qualifiers were unacceptable for a team with ambition. Many people think Vietnam has made great progress thanks to achievements in the AFF Cup and SEA Games. But in reality, those successes came from the defensive counter-attacking style built by coach Park Hang-seo, and relied on a golden generation that had passed its peak. When Park left, Vietnam did not keep that identity, nor did it build a new one. Troussier tried to impose possession-based philosophy but lacked suitable personnel. The result was a hybrid team with no personality, easily figured out. Moreover, the huge expectations from fans created undue pressure. In each match, players played with fear of losing, of disappointing fans. They didn't dare to take risks, didn't dare to make creative plays. Vietnamese football was being suffocated by its own expectations. So what happens next? The Vietnam Football Federation needs a revolution in thinking. It cannot just replace the coach and hope everything improves. It needs to rebuild the youth training system, producing players with good technique and tactical intelligence. It needs to learn from Japan and South Korea, countries that have built solid football foundations. Vietnam needs time, but time waits for no one. If there is no change, the next generation will repeat the vicious cycle of disappointment. On the stand at My Dinh, the elderly man finally stood up. He looked toward the tunnel where the players had disappeared. He wasn't sad, because he had witnessed too many failures. He only wondered: do Vietnamese fans still have enough patience to wait for a new generation? The answer lies in those who hold the fate of Vietnamese football. To better understand this decline, we need to look back at Vietnam's football development over the past decade. Since 2026, under Park Hang-seo, the team achieved notable successes: winning the AFF Cup 2026, reaching the Asian Cup 2026 quarter-finals, and winning the SEA Games 2026 gold medal. However, these successes were mainly based on fighting spirit and disciplined defensive organization, not superior technical foundation. When facing stronger teams, Vietnam often retreated deep and waited for counter-attack opportunities. This approach was effective but depended on having experienced and physically strong players. After Park left, the VFF decided to appoint Troussier with the hope of changing philosophy. Troussier is known for developing youth football and tiki-taka style. He began rebuilding the squad by calling up many young players and testing various tactical formations. However, the transition happened too quickly, causing the team to lose stability. Young players lacked experience to handle international pressure, while older players were abandoned or no longer suited to new requirements. Another problem was the shortage of central midfielders. Throughout the qualifiers, Vietnam didn't have a midfielder capable of controlling the game tempo. Nguyen Tuan Anh, who was expected, frequently suffered injuries. Luong Xuan Truong had turned 30 and lacked stamina. As a result, Vietnam had to use wingers like Nguyen Quang Hai in central positions, but he wasn't the type to control the ball under high pressure. The attack also faced difficulties. Nguyen Tien Linh is a good striker in the box, but he needs support from surrounding players. Meanwhile, wingers like Van Toan and Van Duc lacked the ability to create breakthroughs. They often lost the ball when facing defenders. This meant Vietnam had almost no dangerous attacks in important matches. Not only tactically, the psychological issue was also key. In the decisive match against Indonesia, Vietnam led 1-0 but then lost composure and lost 1-2. Players showed anxiety, lost concentration, and made serious individual errors. This revealed the team's lack of mettle in crucial moments. So what is the future of Vietnamese football? Some say immediate change is needed, appointing a new experienced coach. But changing coaches is only a temporary solution. The root problem lies in the youth training system. Currently, football academies in Vietnam are still weak. Most young players are trained at local sports centers with limited facilities. They lack systematic coaching in technique, tactics, and physical conditioning. Compared to Japan, which has a systematic youth training system from elementary school, Vietnam is far from catching up. Japan has built football academies nationwide with thousands of qualified coaches. They also have regular youth tournaments that help players gain experience. Vietnam needs to learn from this model, but that requires time and significant investment. Another aspect is community football development. In Vietnam, football is the most popular sport, but small pitches in districts and communes are still lacking. Children don't have many opportunities to play organized football. This directly affects the discovery and training of young talent. Meanwhile, V.League clubs also don't prioritize developing young players. They often prefer to buy foreign players and established stars, ignoring talented youngsters. This leaves young players without opportunities to compete at the highest level, slowing their development. However, not everything is pessimistic. A few young players like Nguyen Dinh Bac and Khua Van Khang have shown potential. They have good technique and high fighting spirit. But for these players to develop, a suitable environment is needed. The national team must create conditions for them to play and gain experience, rather than hastily burdening them with too much responsibility. Another bright spot is the fans' attention. Despite the failure, fans still came to the stadium to cheer and followed every match. The Vietnamese love for football is undeniable. This love will be the motivation for managers to change. But love must be repaid with concrete actions, not just empty promises. In this context, the VFF needs to build a long-term strategy. This strategy should include improving the youth training system, strengthening international cooperation, and creating a healthy competitive environment domestically. At the same time, there must be stability in personnel, avoiding frequent coach changes. Football needs time to build, cannot be rushed. Returning to the elderly man on the stand. He had witnessed many ups and downs of Vietnamese football. From the 1970s, when Vietnamese football was young, to the 2000s, when the team began to achieve initial successes. He had hoped that Park's golden generation would take Vietnam to the World Cup. But that dream was shattered. However, he still believed that one day Vietnamese football would reach world-class level. What is needed is patience and relentless effort. Football is not just a game. It is pride, it is cultural identity. For Vietnamese people, football is a common language, a thread connecting generations. Therefore, rebuilding Vietnamese football is not only the responsibility of the federation, but also of the whole society. Every fan, every sponsor, every player has a role to play. In the near future, Vietnam will enter the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. This is an opportunity for the team to prove they can stand up after failure. But to do that, they need to change from within. Not only tactical changes, but also mindset changes. Players need to be more confident, willing to take responsibility and express themselves. The coach needs to build a style suitable for Vietnamese people, not mechanically impose foreign philosophies. Finally, fans also need to change. They need to be more patient, rather than demanding immediate results. They need to support the team in both victory and defeat. Only with unity can Vietnamese football overcome difficulties. The elderly man walked out of the stadium, leaving behind a void. But in his heart, hope remained. He knew that, despite today's failure, Vietnamese football would never stop. The journey is long, and football lovers will always accompany the team. That is something that cannot be changed. With all the analysis above, we can see that Vietnam's failure in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers was not an accident, but an inevitable result of an unsustainable development process. To fix it, a comprehensive revolution is needed, from the training system to team management. Only then can the World Cup dream become reality. And the final question remains: do Vietnamese people have enough patience to wait for a brighter tomorrow?