From Park Hang Seo to Kim Sang Sik: The Perfect Succession

24/12/2025 06:45:00 ScoreStream

The Vietnam U22 team, guided by coach Kim Sang Sik, won the gold medal at SEA Games 33, thereby completing a treble of titles in 2025.

On the evening of December 18, at Rajamangala Stadium (Bangkok, Thailand), in the men's football final of SEA Games 33, Vietnam U22 defeated the host Thailand 3-2 after extra time. The red-shirted team found themselves at a disadvantage after conceding two goals in the first half, while Thailand enjoyed overwhelming support from the home crowd.

However, in the second half, Vietnam U22 improved their play and quickly scored two goals to bring the match back to a tie. The turning point came in the 5th minute of the first extra time period when Nguyễn Thanh Nhàn scored the decisive goal, helping Vietnam U22 complete a stunning comeback.

The key factor in this victory was coach Kim Sang Sik's smart personnel adjustments in the second half. Boldly introducing Thái Sơn, Văn Thuận, and Thanh Nhàn onto the field proved effective at the right moment, creating a difference in the game's flow.

In 2025, Vietnamese football under coach Kim Sang Sik’s leadership consecutively won three major tournaments: the Mitsubishi Cup (January), the AFF U23 Championship (July), and most recently, SEA Games 33.

Taking over the Vietnamese national team from last May, in less than two years, coach Kim Sang Sik has made history, achieving what his predecessor Park Hang Seo (who led the team from 2017 to 2023), a symbol of Vietnamese football success, never did.

Immediately after finishing SEA Games 33, coach Kim Sang Sik started preparing for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. Photo: Minh Dân

Sharing after the SEA Games 33 final, coach Kim Sang Sik said: "After the first half ended, I told the players that we still had a chance and not to give up. Thanks to their fighting spirit and relentless effort, the players earned the victory.

Miracles or wonders don’t happen spontaneously; they are the fruits of sweat and tears. I don’t dislike, in fact, I quite like that nickname, and I will keep preparing well to help the players deliver great matches for the fans."

After conquering the Southeast Asian stage, the next goal for coach Kim Sang Sik and the Vietnamese teams is the continental competition, starting with the 2026 AFC U23 Championship in Saudi Arabia this coming January.

Following these recent successes, some South Korean sports newspapers have begun comparing coach Kim Sang Sik with his compatriot Park Hang Seo.

What did coach Park Hang Seo say after Vietnam U22 won the SEA Games 2025 gold medal?

In his comments, coach Kim Sang Sik always shows respect by calling Park Hang Seo a "senior." Conversely, Park Hang Seo often sends congratulations to coach Kim Sang Sik and Vietnamese football after every title, most recently the SEA Games 33 gold medal.

In fact, it is very difficult to make a direct comparison or absolute judgment between the two coaches. Under Park Hang Seo, Vietnamese football not only dominated Southeast Asia but also left a strong mark on the Asian stage.

The achievements that Kim Sang Sik has accomplished with Vietnamese football are truly admirable. The ASEAN Cup took place only six months after he took office, with very little preparation time. Fans hope that coach Kim Sang Sik will continue to lead Vietnamese football to even greater success, starting with the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, the tournament that once marked the brilliant beginning of Park Hang Seo’s era in 2018.

Comment (0)