The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has officially appointed Cristiano Roland as the head coach of the U17 Vietnam national team for the second training phase of 2024. Born in 1976 and of Brazilian nationality, Cristiano Roland is well-known as a former player for Hanoi FC, where he played a crucial role in the team’s two V-League championship victories during the 2009-2013 period.
Cristiano Roland has extensive coaching experience, having served as an assistant coach for Binh Duong FC in 2021, head coach of U15 Hanoi in 2023, and most recently, leading U17 Hanoi to victory in the 2024 national U17 championship. His appointment as the head coach of the U17 Vietnam national team follows his involvement with the team’s coaching staff during the first training camp of 2024, providing a smooth transition as he takes full control of the squad.
To prepare for the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers, set to take place in October, Cristiano Roland has selected a 28-player roster. This squad includes a mix of players who participated in the 2024 U16 Southeast Asian Championship and standout performers from the recent national U17 championship.
The U17 Vietnam team will begin their training camp at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center on August 1, 2024. They are scheduled to compete in the Peace Cup 2024, an international friendly tournament in Shenzhen, China, from August 16-20. The tournament will see the Vietnamese team face off against China, Uzbekistan, and Japan, providing valuable international experience ahead of the qualifiers.
After the Peace Cup, the VFF has arranged for the U17 team to continue their preparations with a training camp in Japan in mid-September. This will be the final phase of preparation before the team competes in the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers.
As the host nation for Group I of the qualifiers, scheduled to be held at the Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho, Vietnam’s U17 team will face U17 Kyrgyzstan on October 23, U17 Myanmar on October 25, and U17 Yemen on October 27. These matches are crucial for the team’s ambitions to advance in the tournament and represent Vietnam on the continental stage. The leadership of Cristiano Roland and the strategic preparation phases are aimed at ensuring the team is well-prepared and competitive for the upcoming challenges.
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