Know Your Opponents: Vietnam
The Golden Star Warriors are in the middle of a poor run of form but have plenty of talent at their disposal to cause any team in Asia problems.
Vietnam men’s football team is one of the rising forces in Asian football and have delivered some impressive performances in the last five years. Even though recent times have been a bit rough for the nation on the football field, there is plenty of talent in their ranks.
Vietnam’s footballing history dates back to the 19th century when the French colonists introduced the game to the region. It wasn’t until 1947 that Vietnam played its first football match (a 2-3 loss to Hong Kong), but Vietnam’s division in 1954 led to the formation of two teams – North Vietnam and South Vietnam.
The southern team was more active and participated in the 1956 and 1960 AFC Asian Cups and also finished fourth at the 1962 Asian Games. Since South Vietnam was a member of UEFA and FIFA, the Vietnam football team after the country’s reunification was deemed the successor of the South Vietnam team.
It was in 1991 though when the Vietnam football team truly joined the international stage and started participating in tournaments on a regular basis.
Vietnam made their first real impact in Asian football in 2007 when they reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup becoming the only host of that tournament to do so. A year later they won their first AFF Championship title. The performances of the national team declined after that before a revival after 2016. Vietnam won the AFF Championship after ten years before embarking on a phenomenal AFC Asian Cup campaign in 2019 that saw them reach the quarter-finals where they lost to Japan by a solitary goal.
Vietnam then reached the final round of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification where it became the first country from south-east Asia to win a match in the final round of FIFA World Cup qualification.
However, after the departure of head coach Park Hang-seo, Vietnam’s form dipped as they failed to qualify for the final round of World Cup qualifiers and also exited the 2023 AFC Asian Cup at the group stage with no points.
FIFA Ranking
Vietnam are currently ranked 116 in men’s FIFA rankings which is their lowest ranking in six years. Their highest ranking came back in 1998 when they were placed in the 84th spot. The team were mostly ranked in the 90s in the last five years with a peak rank of 92.
Form Guide
The Golden Star Warriors are in a terrible run of form with just one win in their last 11 matches which came against the Philippines in June. Their last three matches have ended in defeats. Their two victories in their last 15 games have come against the same opponent.
India's 🇮🇳 friendly match against Vietnam will be LIVE 🔴 on @FanCode
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 10, 2024
Don’t miss the action as our team battles it out on the field! 💪#IndianFootball ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/1CIdPOU4Sw
Formation
Under new head coach, Kim Sang-sik, Vietnam have prioritised defensive stability after a bad run of results which has mostly seen them a 5-4-1 formation. However, against Philippines and Thailand, Kim tweaked it into a more attacking 3-4-3 formation.
With the former South Korean international favouring a three-man defence in all the games under him so far, he is likely to go with the same system against India. With Vietnam playing at home, expect the Golden Star Warriors to play on the front foot with the wing-backs playing high up the pitch.
Key Players
Nguyen Tien Linh: The striker has been a shining light for Vietnam in recent times and has netted 21 times in 48 appearances for his country. He has scored three of Vietnam’s last five goals and will be a threat to the Indian defence.
Que Ngoc Hai: The captain of Vietnam, Que has 78 appearances for the Golden Star Warriors under his belt. The 31-year-old is a solid defender and will bring the necessary experience to the young Vietnam side. Apart from being a great organiser of the defence, Que is a real threat in the opposition box and has scored six goals for the national team.
Coach: Kim Sang-sik
A former South Korea international who made 59 appearances for the national team, Kim has made rapid strides in his coaching career. Starting his career with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, he won the K League 1 title and was also awarded the league’s best manager award in 2021. A year later he won the Korean FA Cup with Jeonbuk.
The young coach took charge of Vietnam in 2024 and is tasked with restoring the national team’s position in Asian football.