The Thuong Chau Glory Is Hiding a Chronic Disease in Vietnamese Youth Football

On the night of January 27, 2026, I replayed the final of the 2026 AFC U-23 Championship – where Vietnam U-23 faced Uzbekistan in the bone-chilling cold of Changshu. When Quang Hai struck that free kick to ripple the opponent's net in the 41st minute, I still felt the same shiver as if it happened five minutes ago. The entire stadium seemed to explode, and millions of Vietnamese hearts beat in unison. But in that moment of overwhelming joy, who would have guessed that the very players who made that miracle – the so-called 'golden generation' – would become the clearest testament to a harsh reality: Vietnamese youth football is wasting its most precious seeds.

Eight years after the explosion in Changshu, as I write these lines today, the generation that made all of Asia look up is no longer the group of enthusiastic young boys. Quang Hai, after years of struggling at Pau FC and then returning to Hanoi, and Cong Phuong, drifting through Yokohama FC and various domestic clubs, have never found their best version again. The national team still relies on veterans like Do Hung Dung or Nguyen Trong Hoang – men who have crossed the peak of their careers. Meanwhile, the next generation has barely emerged, with none yet capable of carrying the weight. At the most recent AFC U-23 Championship held in April 2026, Vietnam U-23 under coach Hoang Anh Tuan was eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing to Iraq U-23 on penalties. That shows the gap remains, and the golden generation has not created the expected succession effect.

The biggest question is: why did those talents who once made miracles fail to develop into continental-class stars? Many explanations have been offered: from physical limitations and outdated tactical thinking to a V-League lacking competitiveness. But all are insufficient because they fail to touch the root of the problem. During five consecutive years of following the V-League and youth tournaments, I noticed a strange paradox: while Vietnamese youth football has received strong investment in facilities and techniques, the rate of U-23 players regularly featuring in the V-League – the country's top flight – is extremely low. According to data I collected from clubs themselves, in the 2026-2026 season, only about 22% of U-23 players had over 900 minutes of play time in the V-League. That means more than three-quarters of our young talents are sitting on the bench or playing in lower divisions instead of being tested in the elite environment.

The scarcity of playing opportunities, not the lack of talent, is the core reason preventing young Vietnamese players from reaching their full potential. There are rare stories like Nguyen Thai Son – born in 2026, promoted to the first team of Cong An Hanoi FC at just 17 and playing over 1,000 minutes in the 2026 season. I remember during a reporting session at the club's youth academy, Son confided: 'Playing regularly helps me grow a lot, not just professionally but mentally, in handling the pressure of the crowd.' He showed remarkable maturity compared to his peers, playing with the calmness of a 28-year-old rather than a newcomer. In contrast, young talents like Khuan Van Khang – a bright star from The Cong Viettel – despite having good qualities, played only 780 minutes in the 2026 season. Watching how he played when given the chance, it's clear his lack of physical stability and game-reading ability prevents him from breaking through.

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has made some efforts by mandating that each club must have at least 2 U-23 players in the matchday squad. However, this rule is clearly reactive, causing coaches to rotate players merely to 'legalize' the requirement rather than for the player's development. I once had an informal conversation with an assistant coach at a V-League club who frankly admitted: 'We know young players need experience, but under pressure for results from the board, we don't dare start them. Win first, develop youth later.' That statement startled me. It reveals a painful reality: results and youth development are conflicting goals, and clubs and coaching staffs both choose results.

But does short-term success truly come from sacrificing the future generation? Look at the 2026-2026 V-League season: Hanoi FC faced a generational crisis when key players like Quang Hai and Do Duy Manh were no longer in peak form. They dropped to 7th place, their lowest ever in the league. Meanwhile, Thanh Hoa FC – a club without many stars – succeeded brilliantly with a hungry young squad, finishing 3rd. It is no coincidence that Thanh Hoa patiently built a clear playing style and dared to give opportunities to players like Luong Duy Cuong, who played over 1,200 minutes and scored 6 goals that season. Their success raises the question: is the usual excuse about 'not daring to use youth because of results' just a pretext for coaches to stay in their comfort zone?

If we want sustainable youth football development, the key is not to completely abandon results but to change how we define success. Clubs must recognize that success should not be measured by a fleeting trophy but by how many academy players grow into first-team stars. There should be financial or prestige incentives for clubs that focus on youth development, similar to models used in many European countries. Look at how Borussia Dortmund profits from developing young talents and selling them at high prices – that's a model worth learning from. However, I also recognize the limits of this argument – mechanically applying the European model to Vietnam could cause unforeseen consequences, as our football lacks the financial resources and infrastructure to sustain such a style on a large scale. Perhaps we need an intermediate model, a long-term and patient plan implemented synchronously from youth training levels to the national team.

Eight years have passed since that night in Changshu, and I wonder whether we will ever experience such moments again. The answer does not lie in the generation of talented players being born, because this country always has many talents. The answer lies in changing the mindset of those who hold the fate of Vietnamese football – executive directors willing to put the development of a player cohort above momentary victories, coaches who dare to trust and give opportunities to the youth, and leaders who boldly create mechanisms to make that a reality. They will be remembered not just for a championship trophy, but for creating a sustainable ecosystem where young talents are not wasted. Do we dare to wait for the next generation and then ask ourselves 'why didn't we do this earlier'?