Coach Dinh Hong Vinh reveals why Vietnamese expatriate scoring in Europe is promoted to Vietnam U23.

Coach Dinh Hong Vinh discloses the rationale for promoting 18-year-old Vietnamese expatriate player Antonio Moric to Vietnam U23.

Assistant coach Dinh Hong Vinh continues to be entrusted with leading Vietnam U23 to participate in the CFA Team China 2026 tournament in Xi'an, a crucial preparatory step towards Asiad 2026. In this training camp, Vietnam U23 includes the Vietnamese expatriate player Antonio Moric. Initially, Moric was called up to Vietnam U19, but subsequently, Coach Dinh Hong Vinh decided to elevate this young player to Vietnam U23.

"Moric is a Vietnamese expatriate player who was previously included in my plans. Through evaluation in this phase, we decided to transfer Moric from the U19 team to train with the U23 team for assessment and better preparation of the squad for the future. If Moric adapts well to the team, he will certainly have the opportunity to participate with the team," Coach Dinh Hong Vinh explained.

"Up to now, Moric's capabilities have not been fully assessed. Initially, I had planned to include Moric. Currently, having him train with the higher-level U23 team aims for better evaluation," Coach Dinh Hong Vinh stated.

Coach Dinh Hong Vinh further shared: "With the attention and support from the Vietnam Football Federation, the national team will have multiple training camps in 2026. I believe that through the process of training, improving tactical skills, and international exposure, the young players will mature more, ready for upcoming missions."

Coach Dinh Hong Vinh also revealed that he has compiled a preliminary list of up to nearly 100 players for monitoring and evaluation. He stated that this training camp will serve as an important basis for continued screening and selecting the optimal squad for the team.

Antonio Moric, born June 11, 2008 in Hanoi, has a Vietnamese mother and a Croatian father. Standing at 1.81m, Moric possesses a physique and playing style suitable for the modern attacking player model, capable of versatile play in positions such as central midfielder, winger, forward, or striker.

Currently, Moric plays for NK Trnje Club, a team competing in the Croatian Second League (third tier). In the 2025/26 season, he appeared in 16 matches, including 8 as a starter, scoring a total of 11 goals and receiving 1 yellow card.

Moric performed notably in youth tournaments, scoring 5 goals in one match at Druga NL Centar Juniori, plus 4 goals in Juniori A and 2 goals in the ZNS Cup. He also had the opportunity to play for the senior team in the Croatian Second League.

At the CFA Team China – Xi'an 2026 tournament, Vietnam U23 will have the opportunity to compete against quality opponents including China U23, Thailand U23, and North Korea U23.

According to the plan, the Vietnam U23 team will maintain regular daily training at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center. The team will depart to China to participate in the tournament on March 23. Vietnam U23 will successively face North Korea U23 (March 25), Thailand U23 (March 28), and China U23 (March 31).