Vietnam National Team at ASEAN Cup 2026: Between Expectations and Pressure

Two years back, Vietnam's national team were the ones who conquered. This time around at the ASEAN Cup 2026, they are the reigning champions. Huge expectations come along, but so does tremendous pressure.

1. Looking objectively, it's hard to deny that the Vietnam team has a great opportunity to defend their title. That opportunity first comes from the team's own strength.

After nearly two years in charge, coach Kim Sang Sik is no longer in the "patchwork" phase or searching for a winning formula like at the ASEAN Cup 2024. He now has a stable core, with players who understand his playing philosophy and enough time to perfect their chemistry. More importantly, the squad depth has improved significantly. The trio of naturalized players Xuân Son, Tài Lộc, and Hoàng Hên bring professional quality that Vietnamese football rarely possesses at the same time. Behind them is a layer of young players who matured from winning the SEA Games 33 gold, the AFC U23 bronze medal, or the ASEAN U23 championship, creating competition in almost every position.

Not only stronger in personnel, the Vietnam team is also transforming its playing philosophy. The ASEAN Cup 2024 saw a pragmatic team that knew how to defend, counterattack, and maximize Xuân Son's brilliance. But the 2026 version is expected to be much more proactive. With Hoàng Đức and Quang Hải in the center, along with Hoàng Hên, Tài Lộc, and Xuân Son up front, Vietnam is gradually moving toward a possession-based style, imposing their game and building on attack.

This change reflects coach Kim Sang Sik's long-term direction toward the 2027 Asian Cup and beyond, to the 2030 World Cup qualifiers. A team that wants to progress on the continental stage cannot always succeed by sitting deep, defending, and waiting for a moment. They must know how to keep the ball, control the tempo, and force opponents to play their game.

2. But once you are champions, every opponent sees beating Vietnam as a measure of their ambition. The element of surprise that helped coach Kim Sang Sik create a miracle two years ago will no longer exist. Instead, there is thorough study from opponents and the pressure to prove that the 2024 title was not a fleeting moment.

The biggest challenge certainly comes from Indonesia. Over the past two years, the archipelago nation has continued to push its naturalization policy and possesses a squad with quality far superior to the rest of Southeast Asia. Indonesia's advancement to the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, defeating opponents like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, or China, shows that the gap between them and other regional teams has changed significantly.

Besides, Thailand, Singapore, or Malaysia are also unpredictable. The gap between Southeast Asian teams is narrowing, making every match potentially surprising.

3. In reality, Vietnam is not yet a perfect team. What fans are waiting for is not how many goals Xuân Son continues to score, but whether the team can win when this striker is shut down. That is the sign of a great team. On the other hand, the defense still has question marks with Duy Mạnh injured and some positions lacking absolute stability. This makes the need for ball control and reducing defensive pressure even more urgent.

More importantly, it's a psychological challenge. History has never seen the Vietnam team successfully defend the ASEAN Cup title. This shows that maintaining the top position is always much harder than reaching the summit. Therefore, the ASEAN Cup 2026 is a test of the mettle of coach Kim Sang Sik and his players. Between expectations and pressure, what the Vietnam team needs most is the composure of a true champion.