Vietnam national team captain declares no fear of facing Thailand

Vietnam futsal captain Pham Duc Hoa believes Thailand is no longer as strong and trusts his team can achieve positive results at the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship.

On the afternoon of November 5th, the draw for the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, placing Vietnam in Group B alongside Thailand, Kuwait, and Lebanon. This group is considered manageable but presents many challenges for coach Diego Giustozzi’s squad on their journey to qualify for the quarterfinals.

According to the FIFA men’s futsal rankings released on August 29, 2025, Vietnam is ranked 26th worldwide and is in the second seed group. The opponents in this group all hold high rankings and have rich experience in Asia, promising closely contested and thrilling matches right from the group stage.

Regarding the draw results, captain Pham Duc Hoa considers this group “comfortable but not to be underestimated”. He shared: “All teams at the final tournament have passed a tough qualification round, so no opponent is weak. In my opinion, the quality among the teams is quite balanced.”. The player also emphasized that having previously faced teams like Lebanon, Kuwait, and Thailand is an important advantage that helps the team prepare better.

“Against the two West Asian teams, Lebanon and Kuwait, we usually have good results. However, Kuwait is now coached by Bruno – someone who understands Vietnamese players very well, so that match will be crucial.”Duc Hoa assessed. He also warned that Lebanon is a young, ambitious team that is rapidly improving, so they cannot be underestimated.

Notably, the Vietnam futsal captain shows great respect for Thailand but asserts that this opponent “is no longer as strong as before”. He said: “Thailand is still rated higher than us, but in recent years they have not maintained their previous strength. Vietnam has also had very good results against them, so hoping to achieve a positive outcome in the upcoming match is entirely reasonable.”

Currently, the Vietnam futsal team is focused on preparations for the 33rd SEA Games. After the regional tournament, the team will continue to concentrate on the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship with plans for training camps and international friendly matches before entering this important campaign. With confidence and the progress of the young players, Vietnam futsal is expected to make a new mark on the continental stage.