The Vietnam U22 team has returned home, concluding a glorious and proud journey at SEA Games 33.

Welcoming the team at the airport were Ms. Le Thi Hoang Yen, Deputy Director of the Vietnam Sports Administration, Mr. Nguyen Van Phu - Secretary General of the Vietnam Football Federation, along with numerous fans who came to congratulate and share the joy of victory with the players and coaching staff.

Arriving early at Noi Bai Airport to welcome the Vietnam U22 players home, Tran Thi Thu Ha shared that her group had arranged to come to the airport right after the final to greet the “heroes” of Vietnamese football.

“We are very proud to meet and celebrate directly with the Vietnam U22 players. This will be a memorable experience for me personally,” Ha added.

At SEA Games 33, Vietnam U22 demonstrated consistent performance and strong determination. In the group stage, Coach Kim Sang Sik’s squad successively defeated U22 Laos and U22 Malaysia to top Group B. In the semifinals, Vietnam U22 continued to assert their strength by beating U22 Philippines 2-0, securing their place in the final.

In the final held at Rajamangala Stadium (Bangkok) on the evening of December 18, Vietnam U22 staged a courageous and emotional comeback. Despite trailing 0-2 in the first half, the Vietnamese players fought persistently, scoring two goals in the second half and taking the lead 3-2 in the first extra time period to win the match 3-2, bringing home the prestigious gold medal for Vietnamese men’s football and contributing to the overall success of the Vietnamese Sports Delegation at the Games.

After the tournament, Coach Kim Sang Sik expressed pride in his players’ fighting spirit and determination not to give up, affirming that the SEA Games 33 championship was the result of serious preparation, team unity, and especially the strong support from Vietnamese fans nationwide.

According to the plan, on December 23, the Vietnam U22 team will regroup in Hanoi to prepare for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to 25, 2026. On December 26, the whole team will depart for training in Qatar and is expected to play a friendly match against U23 Syria before moving to Saudi Arabia on January 1, 2026.

At the 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals, Coach Kim Sang Sik’s team will open their campaign against U23 Jordan on January 6, followed by matches against U23 Kyrgyzstan on January 9 and U23 Saudi Arabia on January 12.