Thai Nguyen, 17 July 2026 – Vietnam head coach Kim Sang-sik has spoken openly about his ambition of leading the national team to the FIFA World Cup, sharing his long-term vision during the pre-match press conference ahead of Vietnam’s international friendly against Myanmar.
The friendly comes just days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, and the global tournament has served as a source of inspiration for both the coaching staff and the players during Vietnam’s recent training camp.
“During our training camp, the World Cup has been taking place, and the players and I have watched several matches together,” Kim Sang-sik said. “They have all been fantastic games. I sincerely hope that one day Vietnam will also compete at the World Cup. That is my dream.”
While acknowledging his long-term aspiration, the South Korean tactician stressed that Vietnam’s immediate focus remains the 2026 ASEAN Championship.
According to Kim, the team has prepared thoroughly for the regional tournament, including a two-week overseas training camp in South Korea. He believes Saturday’s friendly against Myanmar will provide an ideal opportunity for his players to demonstrate the progress they have made and fine-tune their form ahead of the title defense.
“Our first objective at the 2026 ASEAN Championship is to advance from the group stage,” he explained. “Only after that will we focus on the next opponents. The most important thing is to perform well on the pitch and achieve positive results.”
Kim also expressed confidence in the quality of Vietnam’s attacking unit, highlighting the depth available with Nguyen Xuan Son, Do Hoang Hen, Nguyen Tai Loc, Nguyen Dinh Bac, Nguyen Quang Hai, and Nguyen Hoang Duc.
However, he admitted the squad has been affected by several injury setbacks, with Do Duy Manh, Le Ngoc Bao, and Khuat Van Khang all forced to withdraw from the team.
Looking ahead to the friendly, Kim warned against underestimating Myanmar despite Vietnam’s dominant 5-0 victory over the same opponents in 2024—a match that also marked Nguyen Xuan Son’s international debut.
“We beat Myanmar 5-0 the last time we met, and that was also Xuan Son’s debut for Vietnam,” Kim said. “However, Myanmar now have a new head coach. Jorn Andersen has already proven his capabilities in the K League, so I believe Myanmar will be well prepared and highly motivated for this match.”
Vietnam will take on Myanmar in an international friendly at Thai Nguyen Stadium at 7:00 p.m. (local time) on July 18. The match will serve as the team’s final test before embarking on its 2026 ASEAN Championship campaign.
Pan Lee
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