Japanese coach must cut 4 Vietnamese players ahead of the AFF tournament

For the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 tournament, Vietnam U19's squad will be reduced from 29 to 25 members.

The Vietnam U19 national team has just returned from a training camp in Japan that ran from May 14 to May 24. During this period, coach Yutaka Ikeuchi and his players played four friendlies against 'practice opponents' including the U20 and U22 sides of Shizuoka Sangyo University, Tokai Gakuen University, and the B team of Shimizu S-Pulse.

These practice matches were seen as crucial for squad assessment, refining playing style, and boosting adaptability to international match intensity. Furthermore, facing teams with strong physicality, speed, and solid tactical organization helped the young players gain valuable experience and gave the coaching staff a basis for evaluating and selecting the optimal lineup.

As planned, on the afternoon of the same day, the Vietnam U19 team will hold their final training session at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center before the coaching staff cuts the squad from 29 to 25 players. After that, the entire team will move to Ho Chi Minh City and depart for Indonesia on May 28.

The 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship will be held from June 1 to June 14 in Indonesia. According to the draw, Vietnam U19 are in Group A along with hosts Indonesia, Timor Leste, and Myanmar. This is considered an important preparatory step for Vietnam U19 on their path to the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Speaking at the meeting, head coach Yutaka Ikeuchi said the entire team has prepared seriously both in terms of expertise and mentality for the upcoming tournament. The Japanese manager also highly commended the support from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), the national teams department, and the cooperation from clubs in assembling the Vietnam U19 squad.

However, the team's preparation also faced many challenges, as several players with good professional quality could not join due to commitments with their clubs in the national professional leagues and the national Second Division. Additionally, some players born in 2008 have to balance their cultural studies and prepare for the high school graduation exam.