Hot football news midday 17/7: Coach Kim Sang-sik worried ahead of AFF Cup

Đỗ Hoàng Hên attracts notice due to his La Masia background, Coach Kim Sang-sik faces a headache over the goalkeeper competition in Vietnam's national team, while Messi, Tuchel, and the European transfer market also provide many noteworthy events.

Đỗ Hoàng Hên and the La Masia imprint

The 2026 World Cup final between Spain and Argentina saw up to 8 players who grew up from the La Masia academy participate, further affirming the status of Barcelona's famous training ground. Notably for Vietnamese fans, midfielder Đỗ Hoàng Hên also spent 4 years training there from the age of 12.

Although he has not reached the stature of Lionel Messi or Lamine Yamal, Hoàng Hên still benefits from La Masia's training philosophy, with technical play and modern tactical thinking. Currently, the 32-year-old midfielder is expected to continue being a key player for the Vietnam national team under Coach Kim Sang-sik, aiming for goals such as the 2026 AFF Cup, 2027 Asian Cup, and 2030 World Cup qualifiers.

The goalkeeper race

Ahead of the 2026 AFF Cup, Coach Kim Sang-sik currently has three quality options for the goalkeeper position, including Đặng Văn Lâm, Lê Giang Patrik, and Trần Trung KiênThe absence of Nguyễn Đình Triệu and Nguyễn Filip opens up a new competition in the Vietnam national team's goal.

According to former goalkeeper Dương Hồng Sơn, all three deserve to be included, but Văn Lâm currently holds the advantage thanks to his international experience and chemistry with the defense after many years with the national team. However, Patrik still has a chance to compete due to his impressive form in the V-League, while Trung Kiên is seen as a promising option for the future. This race promises to give Coach Kim Sang-sik more choices for the goal of defending the 2026 AFF Cup title.

Tuchel falls into his own "trap"

Thomas Tuchel once asserted that he wanted England to play with a desire to win rather than a fear of failure, but he himself went against that philosophy in the 2026 World Cup semi-finalLeading Argentina 1-0, the German coach repeatedly brought on defenders and dropped the team deep, causing the Three Lions to lose control of the match. Argentina took advantage to score two goals late in the game, completing a 2-1 comeback.

After the match, Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane both believed that England had been too cautious by only trying to preserve the score. Although accepting all criticism, Tuchel still faces great pressure as this defeat exactly reflects what he once condemned under Gareth Southgate.

Messi shows respect for Spain

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup final, Lionel Messi considers Spain one of the most complete teams in the world with a playing philosophy maintained across generations. The 39-year-old superstar said that his time at Barcelona helped him understand many players very well La Roja, and also affirmed that he always follows the Catalan team.

Besides that, Messi also rejected opinions that Argentina was favored by FIFA, emphasizing La Albiceleste deserved to be in the final thanks to their strength over two consecutive World Cups. In closing, the Argentina captain dedicated the victory over England as a tribute to legend Diego Maradona and affirmed that the whole team is ready to aim for the goal of defending the world title.

European transfer hot spot

The summer transfer market continues to be lively with a series of notable developments. Marcus Rashford's future is still undecided after his release clause worth £40 million expired, while he is reportedly unwilling to move to Fenerbahce and ready to continue with Manchester United if no suitable destination is found.

On the other hand, Arsenal are reportedly close to reaching an agreement to sign winger Christos Tzolis for nearly £34 million and will continue to pursue Morgan Rogers. Liverpool are targeting young Brazilian star Rayan to replace Mohamed Salah, while Manchester City have sent an offer worth around £8.5 million to sign Brazilian U20 talent Joao Victor for their long-term development plan.