Hot football news midday on July 2: Australian coach praises V-League, Vietnam national team heads to South Korea

Coaches John Hutchinson and Stephan Mauk have lavished praise on the V-League's attractiveness; the Vietnam team is heading to South Korea for a training camp ahead of the 2026 ASEAN Championship; in addition, significant events from the 2026 World Cup and major transfer updates involving Tottenham, Real Madrid, AC Milan, and PSG are reported.

Australian coach rates V-League highly

Although he turned down an offer to lead a V-League club to return home and work for Central Coast Mariners, Coach John Hutchinson still left many positive assessments of Vietnamese football after his survey trip in May. The Australian tactician personally watched matches in the V-League and National Cup, expressing admiration for the professional quality, organizational standards, and several Vietnamese players.

Additionally, Cong An Ha Noi midfielder Stephan Mauk noted that the V-League is highly appealing due to attractive compensation, as top players in Vietnam can earn far more than those in Australia's top league. These signals indicate that Vietnamese football is increasingly becoming a worthwhile destination for coaches and players from down under.

Vietnam national team travels to South Korea for training

On the morning of July 2, the Vietnam national team departed for South Korea to attend a training camp lasting until July 14, a crucial preparation step for defending the ASEAN Championship 2026 title. After more than a week of domestic training, Coach Kim Sang-sik's squad will play three friendlies against clubs from K.League 3, K.League 2, and K.League 1, testing the lineup and refining their playing style.

The trip also includes players recovering from injuries such as Do Duy Manh, Khua Van Khang, and Le Ngoc Bao, who will continue treatment with the team. After returning to Vietnam on July 14, the team will play a friendly against Myanmar before embarking on their title defense in the ASEAN Championship 2026.

Henry and Ibrahimovic praise Harry Kane

After a brace helped England come from behind to beat DR Congo 2-1 and secure a spot in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, Harry Kane received a shower of praise from legends Thierry Henry and Zlatan IbrahimovicHenry was particularly impressed by Kane's decisive goal, stating that the English striker produced a powerful shot while off balance in the closing moments—a "very difficult" skill. Ibrahimovic, meanwhile, commented that England relies on Kane more than any other title contender depends on its top star. However, the former Swedish striker also expressed concerns about the "Three Lions'" physical condition ahead of their round-of-16 clash against Mexico.

Belgium argued then staged a comeback

Belgium produced one of the most impressive comebacks of the 2026 World Cup, defeating Senegal 3-2 after trailing by two goals. Before the turnaround, the "Red Devils" also witnessed a tense moment when captain Youri Tielemans and Leandro Trossard exchanged words during the cooling break. Romelu Lukaku intervened in time to prevent the conflict from escalating. Notably, Trossard later assisted Tielemans for the equalizer to make it 2-2, before the midfielder completed his brace with a penalty in the 120+1 minute, securing a thrilling victory and a place in the round of 16 against host nation USA.

Transfer roundup

Tottenham have reached an agreement to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle for a fee that could reach £100 million, making the Italian midfielder the most expensive signing in club history. Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr's future at Real Madrid remains uncertain, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Man United, and Bayern Munich reportedly ready to step in if the Brazilian star leaves the Bernabeu.

In Serie A, AC Milan have surprisingly set their sights on Virgil van Dijk at the suggestion of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, though the wage demands and lack of Champions League football are major obstacles. In Ligue 1, PSG are accelerating their pursuit of Bournemouth's young striker Eli Junior Kroupi to replace Goncalo Ramos after the striker left the club.