On the afternoon of December 6, after settling into their accommodations and taking a brief two-hour rest, the Vietnam National Team conducted their first training session in Vientiane, Laos, in preparation for their opening Group B match at the AFF Cup 2024.
As per tournament regulations, the team will only be allowed to familiarize themselves with the official match venue, the Laos National Stadium, on December 8, one day before the match.
Therefore, training sessions on December 6 and 7 will take place at the Laos Football Federation’s practice field. This training ground is not equipped with floodlights, so sessions must be held between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM, while there is still daylight. However, this scheduling is not a hindrance for coach Kim Sang Sik and his players, as the team has undergone two weeks of intensive training and is nearly fully prepared for the tournament.
Even the trio of Nam Dinh players—Nguyen Van Toan, Nguyen Van Vi, and Nguyen Xuan Son—who only recently joined the squad, have quickly adapted and integrated with their teammates. Additionally, the team received good news as striker Pham Tuan Hai has fully recovered from his injury and actively participated in the training sessions.
Speaking to the media before the session, Brazilian-born forward Nguyen Xuan Son expressed his excitement: “I am very happy to be part of the Vietnam National Team. You know, playing for a national team is the dream and ambition of every professional footballer. And now I am a member of the Vietnam team. I am here in Laos, alongside the best and most in-form players in Vietnamese football. I am coached by an excellent coach. Everything feels wonderful.”
When asked about his integration into the team, Xuan Son replied: “This is my first time playing for the Vietnam National Team. However, I have been playing in the V-League for five years. I know many of the national team players. Many of them are my teammates or friends from the clubs I have played for in the V-League. We talk and share many things. One of them is my personal goals and aspirations now that I am part of the national team. I will try my best to adapt to each training session and match with the Vietnam team. I hope to contribute to the team’s success at the AFF Cup 2024.”
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