Hanoi, 1st August, 2025 – Thailand’s hopes of breaking through the ceiling of Southeast Asian football took another hit as they finished third at the 2025 AFF U23 Championship, following a penalty shootout loss to hosts Indonesia in the semifinals. This result mirrors their third-place finish in 2023 and comes after being runners-up in 2019 and 2022.
Thai outlet Thairath questioned the country’s progress, stating:
“We have long spoken about surpassing the level of Southeast Asia, but the results at this U23 tournament show that we are still not superior to the region. When will we reach a higher level?”
Similarly, Siam Sports pointed out that despite Thailand’s advantage of a more developed domestic league and club system compared to other countries in the region, their national team’s achievements still fail to show regional dominance:
“The strength of Thai football lies in its professional league and club infrastructure, yet the national teams have not truly risen above Southeast Asia.”
While Thailand discovered some emerging talents in this tournament—such as striker Yotsakorn Burapha, defender Phichitchai Sienkrthok, midfielder Saphon Noiwong, and goalkeeper Sorawat Phosaman—the overall assessment remains critical. Thairath highlighted that the current squad lacks the quality, strength, and potential to surpass teams like Vietnam or Indonesia.
The root cause, according to Thai media, lies in the fact that 90% of the current U23 squad are not regular starters at their clubs, spanning from Thai League 1 to lower divisions. Limited game time has hindered their development, confidence, and match sharpness. When joining the national team, the coaching staff had to rebuild their fitness and tactical awareness from scratch.
Moreover, Thailand’s traditional possession-based, short-passing style was absent throughout the tournament. Siam Sports noted that the team’s passing quality was poor, with Thailand even recording less ball possession than the Philippines in the third-place playoff despite winning. Against Indonesia in the semifinals, they were completely outplayed.
“Excessive caution made Thailand look like an underdog against the Philippines,” Siam Sports criticized. “The events on the pitch reflected the players’ lack of confidence.”
As Thailand prepares for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers in September and the 33rd SEA Games in November—both on home soil—the media stresses that urgent improvements in style of play and player development are essential if the War Elephants want to reclaim their dominance in the region.
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