Vietnamese Football: A Journey from Rainy Days to Continental Heights

When the final whistle echoed through My Dinh Stadium, I remained seated in the empty stands. The match had ended long ago, but the rain still fell on the roof, as if the heavens also wanted to preserve this moment. It was a December night in 2026, when the Vietnam national team had just defeated Thailand in the first leg of the AFF Cup final. I couldn't stop thinking about the long journey that had brought us here. I started writing about football in 2026, when I was a 17-year-old student in Hai Phong. That night, I wrote a poem about Akinfeev's save in the Russia-Spain match at the World Cup. The poem was shared over 2,000 times, and I realized that fans don't just need scores – they need a poetic rhythm for their trembling. Seven years later, I still hold that belief, but now I look deeper into the numbers, the tactical formations, and the stories behind every move. Vietnamese football has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade. From being a weak team in the region, we have risen to become a leading force in Southeast Asia, and are gradually asserting ourselves on the continental stage. But this journey is not just about victories. It's a story of patience, of generations of players succeeding each other, of people who dared to dream and dared to act. Looking back at history, Vietnamese football was once shrouded in darkness. In the 1990s, we were merely a bottom-tier team in the region. Stadiums were empty, players lacked professionalism, and fans gradually lost faith. But then a new generation emerged. Le Huynh Duc, Hong Son, then Cong Vinh, Minh Phuong – they ignited the flame of hope. And as Vietnamese football entered the 21st century, a silent revolution began. I remember the early days of following Vietnamese football, when I was a child sitting in front of a black-and-white television. My father often told me about historic matches, about the golden generation of Vietnamese football in the 1990s. He spoke of the 2026 SEA Games final, when we defeated Thailand in an emotional outburst. Those stories nurtured my love for football, and now I am writing about a new generation making history. The rise of Vietnamese football is not coincidental. It is the result of a long-term strategy, starting with investment in youth development. The PVF Academy, HAGL Academy, and many other training centers have become the cradle of talent. Cong Phuong, Xuan Truong, Tuan Anh, Van Toan – these names have become symbols of a golden generation. They were systematically trained, possess good technique, and more importantly, they have the desire to contribute. But success doesn't come overnight. I remember the bitter defeats: the 2026 AFF Cup final, when we defeated Malaysia in the final at My Dinh Stadium, but before that were consecutive losses to Thailand. I remember the 2026 Asian Cup semifinal, when we were eliminated by Japan with a 0-1 scoreline. Those were painful moments, but they taught us a valuable lesson: to reach continental heights, we must be patient and constantly improve. Data shows clear progress. In 2026, the Vietnam national team was ranked 130th on the FIFA rankings. By 2026, we had climbed to 94th. The team's average ball possession in the 2026 AFF Cup was 58%, a significant increase from 45% in 2026. Successful passes per match increased from 320 to 480. These numbers not only reflect technical improvement but also show a change in our football philosophy. Coach Park Hang-seo, who led the team from 2026 to 2026, left an indelible mark. He not only brought modern tactics but also built a fighting spirit that never gives up. Under his leadership, Vietnam won the 2026 AFF Cup, reached the quarterfinals of the 2026 Asian Cup, and won gold medals at the 2026 and 2026 SEA Games. But more importantly, he created a distinct identity for Vietnamese football: solid defense, sharp counter-attacks, and an indefatigable fighting spirit. However, I always wonder: are we too dependent on one generation of players? Cong Phuong, Xuan Truong, Tuan Anh – they have all passed 30. Can the next generation adequately replace them? This is a question I have raised in many of my articles, and the answer is not simple. Looking at the U23 team that won the 2026 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, I see promising young talents. But they need time, they need regular playing time, and they need to be guided by people with vision. One of the biggest issues in Vietnamese football is the gap between generations. While Cong Phuong's generation was systematically trained at the HAGL Academy, the next generation did not have similar conditions. Many young talents are overlooked due to lack of playing opportunities. The V-League still has many shortcomings: a congested schedule, inconsistent refereeing, and clubs often prioritizing foreign players over giving opportunities to young local players. I remember an afternoon in 2026, when I went to watch a U19 match at the PVF training center. I met a 16-year-old boy with bright eyes, talking about his dream of wearing the national team jersey. That boy was named Nguyen Van Truong, and now, he is one of the most promising young midfielders in Vietnamese football. But I wonder: how many boys like Truong have been missed due to lack of development conditions? The development of Vietnamese football also raises questions about commercialization. The V-League has attracted sponsor interest, but its commercial value remains low compared to regional leagues. The Thai League has broadcasting rights worth tens of millions of dollars annually, while the V-League only reaches about 5 million dollars. This directly affects clubs' ability to pay wages, and consequently, affects player quality. Another issue is the dependence on state budgets. Many clubs still rely on support from state-owned enterprises or local governments. This creates financial instability, and when sponsorship is cut, clubs fall into crisis. I remember Hai Phong FC, my hometown club, struggling to survive when a sponsor withdrew. That is a painful reality that many Vietnamese clubs face. But I don't want to only talk about problems. I want to talk about opportunities. Vietnamese football is at a historic crossroads. With proper investment, we can reach new heights. The PVF Academy has proven that a professional youth development model can produce quality players. Nguyen Quang Hai, a PVF product, has become one of the best players in Southeast Asia. He moved to Pau FC in France, and although he didn't achieve spectacular success, the experience of playing in Europe helped him mature. Quang Hai's return to Cong An Ha Noi FC has created a new wave. He is not just an excellent player but also a symbol for the younger generation. His presence in the V-League has attracted fan attention, and more importantly, has inspired young players. I remember an afternoon at Hang Day Stadium, when I saw hundreds of children wearing Quang Hai's number 19 jersey, cheering every time he touched the ball. That was the most beautiful image I have seen in my years writing about football. But for Vietnamese football to develop sustainably, we need to change our mindset. We cannot rely only on a few stars. We need to build a comprehensive youth training system, from grassroots to national level. We need to improve league quality, creating conditions for young players to play regularly. And we need to professionalize management, from clubs to the Vietnam Football Federation. I remember a conversation with Mr. Nguyen Van Sy, a 70-year-old man in Hai Phong, during the "Listening to Euro through street songs" project in 2026. He talked about the early days of following Vietnamese football, when the team played on dirt fields, and fans had to watch through fences. "It's different now, my child," he said, "Vietnamese football has grown strong, but we must not forget the difficult days." His words made me think deeply. We are standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, and we have a responsibility to continue building. One of the brightest spots in Vietnamese football in recent years is the development of women's football. The Vietnam women's team qualified for the 2026 Women's World Cup for the first time. That was a historic milestone, not just for women's football but for the entire Vietnamese football community. Huynh Nhu, the captain of the women's team, has become a symbol of resilience and passion. She played in Portugal, and although she didn't achieve spectacular success, she opened the path for Vietnamese female players to reach the world stage. However, women's football still hasn't received adequate investment. Female players' salaries remain very low, and training conditions are still limited. I remember interviewing Huynh Nhu, who shared: "We don't ask for much, just good training conditions and respect." That statement moved me. Women's football deserves more investment, not just for results, but for the values they bring to society. Looking to the future, I believe Vietnamese football has the potential to go even further. With a population of nearly 100 million, we have abundant human resources. With economic development, we can invest more in sports. And with the passionate love for football among fans, we can build a strong and sustainable football culture. But we must remain vigilant. Current success does not guarantee the future. We must continue reforming, continue investing, and continue learning from developed football nations. Japan and South Korea took decades to build strong football cultures. We cannot rush, but we also cannot delay. I remember a rainy night at My Dinh Stadium, when Vietnam defeated Thailand in the 2026 AFF Cup final. Rain fell, but no one left the stadium. Tens of thousands of fans sang victory songs, and I saw tears of happiness on the faces of strangers. That was the moment I realized that football is not just a game. It is a thread connecting millions of hearts, the pride of an entire nation. As I write these lines, I remember the 17-year-old boy in 2026, writing a poem about Akinfeev on a World Cup night. That boy couldn't imagine that seven years later, he would write about historic victories of the Vietnam national team. But the journey is still long. We have only just begun. And I believe that, with passion and perseverance, Vietnamese football will go even further. The empty pitch, but every blade of grass still hears the heartbeat of the stands. That is the phrase I wrote during the "Empty Pitch" project during the pandemic, when stadiums were empty due to COVID-19. I collected 236 audio recordings of drums, chants, and applause from fans across 12 provinces, to recreate the match atmosphere through memory. Each recording I accompanied with a short essay about silence and faith. Many strangers messaged me to thank me, saying they cried when they listened. I realized that football is not just about matches, but also about memories passed down. Vietnamese football is facing a bright future. But we must remember that success doesn't come from luck. It comes from relentless effort, from proper investment, and from unwavering belief in our own abilities. When Akinfeev made the save, an entire generation began to believe in miracles. And when Vietnam won the 2026 AFF Cup, an entire generation of fans began to believe that we can reach continental heights. I will continue writing, continue observing, and continue believing. Because football is not just my job. It is how I connect with the world, how I preserve the most beautiful moments of life. And I believe that the stories I write today will be the memories that future generations will cherish. The journey of Vietnamese football is still long ahead. But I believe that, with what we have achieved, and with what we are building, the future will be even brighter. Because football never ends. It only changes shape, but the spirit remains forever. And that spirit, I believe, will continue to guide us to new heights.