Having followed Asian football for the better part of two decades, I’ve witnessed numerous narratives of ascent and decline. But few have been as quietly compelling, and frankly, as overdue, as the rise of the Vietnam Men’s National Football Team. It’s a story not of a sudden, flash-in-the-pan success, but of a meticulously crafted, long-term vision finally bearing fruit. The title "Golden Star Warriors" now carries a weight it never did before, and their journey offers a masterclass in football development for mid-tier nations. It’s a process that reminds me, in an odd way, of team-building in other sports; I was just reading about a basketball team in the Philippines, the Dyip, who strategically traded for a shooter like Jerrick Ahanmisi and used their coveted number one draft pick to secure a foundational big man like Geo Chiu. That’s deliberate construction—identifying needs, acquiring key pieces, and building a core. Vietnam’s football federation has been doing precisely that for years, just on a national scale.
The foundation of this rise is undeniable: the investment in youth academies and a cohesive footballing philosophy. Under the long-term guidance of South Korean coach Park Hang-seo, Vietnam adopted a disciplined, counter-attacking style that maximized their players' technical agility and relentless work rate. Park wasn’t just a tactician; he was a cultural architect who instilled a belief that was previously missing. I remember watching them in the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship, finishing as runners-up in a tournament featuring powerhouses like Uzbekistan and Qatar. That wasn’t luck. It was the first major harvest from seeds planted years earlier in the PVF (Promotion Fund for Vietnamese Football Talent) Academy and other hubs. The data, though sometimes hard to pin down precisely, speaks volumes. Before 2018, Vietnam had qualified for the AFC Asian Cup finals only twice. Since then, they’ve made it to the last two, advancing to the quarter-finals in 2019 and putting up a fiercely competitive showing in 2023. Their FIFA ranking trajectory tells its own story, hovering around the 90-100 mark for years before climbing and now consistently sitting in the mid-90s, often as a top 15 Asian side. For a nation of their resources, that’s a monumental achievement.
But here’s where my personal view comes in: their success is more than just results on the pitch. It’s about strategic identity. They’ve stopped trying to be a poor man’s version of a European team and have instead embraced a distinctly Southeast Asian brand of football—fast, technically sound, and incredibly tough to break down. The development pipeline is now producing players not just for the domestic V.League 1, but for leagues abroad. Key figures like Nguyen Quang Hai (who now plays in Japan) and Doan Van Hau have become national icons. This export of talent is crucial. It creates a virtuous cycle: better training abroad, higher confidence, and a more formidable national team. I have a strong preference for this model over the flashy, import-heavy approach some nations take. Vietnam is building from within, and the stability is evident. Their recent performances in World Cup qualifying, including a famous 3-1 victory over China in 2021, weren’t flukes. They were statements.
Of course, the road ahead is steeper. Reaching the top tier of Asian football—jostling consistently with the likes of Japan, Iran, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia—requires another leap. The physical gap can still be telling over 90 minutes against those giants. Sustaining success after the emotional departure of Park Hang-seo is their next big test. The new coach, Philippe Troussier, brings a different philosophy, focusing more on possession and proactive play. It’s a risky, ambitious pivot, and honestly, I’m fascinated to see if it works. Will it elevate them or disrupt the gritty identity that brought them here? Only time will tell. But what’s undeniable is that Vietnam has unlocked a potential many thought was dormant. They have moved from being occasional spoilers to mandatory, respected opponents. Their rise has injected a fantastic new dynamic into ASEAN football and the broader Asian landscape. For anyone interested in the sport’s growth, the Vietnamese blueprint—patience, systemic youth development, and a clear tactical identity—is one worth studying very, very closely. They’ve earned their seat at the table, and I don’t see them giving it up anytime soon.
