Hanoi, 30 November 2025 – U22 Vietnam have officially shortened their squad to 23 players for SEA Games 33, with midfielder Tran Thanh Trung among the five names omitted due to fitness and tactical reasons.
U22 Vietnam have finalized their 23-man squad for SEA Games 33, with five players removed from the preliminary list. Among those omitted on the morning of 30 November is midfielder Tran Thanh Trung, who had been one of the most notable new faces in the squad. Joining him on the exclusion list are Nguyen Duc Viet (Ninh Binh), Dinh Quang Kiet (Hoang Anh Gia Lai), Bui Vi Hao (Ho Chi Minh City FC) and Le Van Ha (Hanoi FC).
Thanh Trung, born in 2005 in Bulgaria to Vietnamese parents, developed at Slavia Sofia and was promoted to the first team at just 18 years old. His intelligent ball-handling ability and strong development earned him 32 appearances in the Bulgarian league before moving to Ninh Binh FC in 2025, where he competed with established midfielders such as Hoang Duc, Duc Chien, Trong Long and Duc Viet. Despite receiving significant playing time, his injury from Round 9 of V.League 1 against Ho Chi Minh City FC prevented him from reaching optimal condition, leading head coach Kim Sang-sik to make the difficult decision to omit him.
Sharing a similar fate is striker Bui Vi Hao. Returning from a seven-month injury layoff, he played only limited minutes at the Panda Cup 2025 in China. Although he stated he had regained nearly 90% of his fitness and match rhythm, coach Kim chose not to take risks. This marks the third consecutive SEA Games Vi Hao has missed, and due to age eligibility, it will also be his last chance.
Centre-back Dinh Quang Kiet, despite impressive physical attributes at 18 years old and standing 1.95m tall, was excluded due to lack of international experience. Having played only two seasons in V.League 1 and never participated in an official international youth tournament, he will need more time to mature.
Head coach Kim Sang-sik has also confirmed the team’s leadership group. Midfielder Khuat Van Khang will wear the captain’s armband. The 2003-born player brings extensive international experience from the Asian Cup 2023, U23 Asian Cup 2024 and ASEAN Cup 2024. He also played a crucial role in U23 Vietnam’s 2025 AFF U23 Championship title and qualification for the 2026 U23 Asian Cup. Striker Nguyen Dinh Bac has been appointed vice-captain.
U22 Vietnam will compete in Group B alongside Malaysia and Laos. The squad will hold their official send-off ceremony tonight in Ho Chi Minh City before flying to Bangkok tomorrow. Their opening match will take place on 3 December against Laos as they begin their quest for gold at SEA Games 33.
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