Hanoi, 26 November 2025 – U23 Vietnam are viewed as the leading favorites for the SEA Games 33 gold medal, but recent performances and regional progress warn that every match will demand maximum focus and respect.
U23 Vietnam go into SEA Games 33 as the strongest title contenders, but the belief that every match will be straightforward could be dangerous. While Southeast Asian football is undergoing rapid changes — particularly with the controversial naturalization race — Vietnam’s youth football continues to show stability and identity. The team recently secured their third consecutive ASEAN U23 Championship title, confirming their position at the top of the region.
Vietnam also hold an impressive SEA Games record in recent years. They won back-to-back gold medals at SEA Games 30 in the Philippines and SEA Games 31 on home soil in 2022, before taking bronze at SEA Games 32 in Cambodia in 2023. In 2025 alone, Vietnam won all seven matches to defend their ASEAN U23 crown and advanced from the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers with authority. These achievements naturally make coach Kim Sang-sik’s squad the leading candidate for SEA Games 33 gold.
Being the only Southeast Asian team to be placed in Pot 2 for two consecutive AFC U23 Asian Cup final tournaments further highlights Vietnam’s strong continental status. However, the SEA Games remain a unique battleground where the margin for error is slim and where regional opponents understand each other too well.
Recent reality on the pitch also shows that the gap between teams in the region has narrowed significantly. The senior national team needed great effort to secure a 2-0 win over Laos — a side whose lineup included two-thirds of their current U23 squad, featuring several players who will face Vietnam again at SEA Games 33. Vietnam will open the tournament against U23 Laos at 18:30 on December 4, though it remains uncertain which venue will be used due to widespread flooding in Songkhla, Thailand.
Their second group-stage opponents, U23 Malaysia, will also be extremely motivated as Malaysian football seeks to restore pride amid the fallout of the “illegal naturalization” scandal that has severely damaged its reputation.
Should Vietnam progress beyond the group stage, the real tests will arrive. U23 Indonesia — likely their semifinal rivals — and host nation U23 Thailand are both eager for revenge after painful defeats to Vietnam in previous SEA Games and ASEAN U23 Championship finals. The knockout rounds promise fierce battles where every detail will matter.
For U23 Vietnam, there will be no easy matches. Coach Kim Sang-sik’s philosophy, as seen in the dominant 5-0 win over Laos at the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers, emphasizes absolute respect for opponents, deep analysis of strengths and weaknesses, and serious preparation for every challenge. His players understood this message clearly at the Panda Cup 2025, where narrow margins decided every result.
As SEA Games 33 approaches, U23 Vietnam enter as favorites — but with the awareness that the path to gold will require discipline, maturity and unwavering focus in every match.
Phuong Nga
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