The Journey of Vietnam National Team at AFF Cup 2026: From Struggles to Glory

I sat in the stands of My Dinh Stadium on a cold late December evening in 2026. The winter air of Hanoi mingled with the roar of thousands of fans. The Vietnam national team had just equalized 1-1 against Thailand in the 89th minute thanks to a header from Nguyen Tien Linh. I saw tears streaming down the players' faces as they ran towards the stands. That was not just a goal; it was a symbol of resilience. The first leg of the AFF Cup 2026 final ended in a draw, but the story began long before. When I arrived in Hanoi in November, the Vietnamese team was in crisis. Coach Philippe Troussier faced fierce criticism after a string of losses in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers. The pressure from media and fans weighed heavily on every player. I had the chance to interview captain Do Hung Dung after a training session. He said: 'We know people are disappointed, but in the locker room, we still believe in each other.' I wrote down that sentence, feeling the heaviness in his voice. To understand more, I spent three days at the Vietnam Football Federation's youth training center. I saw young players training in simple conditions, but their eyes lit up when they spoke of the dream of wearing the national jersey. One of them, 19-year-old Nguyen Van Truong, told me: 'I train every day so that one day I can run on My Dinh pitch.' I realized that Vietnamese football is not just about wins or losses, but stories of aspiration. Back to the AFF Cup 2026, I followed every Vietnam match. In the group stage, they beat Indonesia 2-0, lost to Malaysia 1-2, and drew 0-0 with Singapore. The inconsistency made many doubt. But I saw something different: the defense was more solid, and the transition play had improved significantly. Data from training sessions showed passing accuracy rose from 78% to 85% over the course of matches. The semi-final against the Philippines was a turning point. In the first leg, Vietnam lost 1-2 away. I went to the team's training session in Manila and sensed tension. Troussier spoke in French to his assistants; I caught part of it: 'They think we've lost, but we will prove the opposite.' I knew something was about to happen. In the second leg, Vietnam won 3-0 with a brilliant performance from Nguyen Hoang Duc, who assisted two and scored one. Fans in the stands were in tears, and I couldn't hold back my emotions either. That was a moment when football transcended everything. The final against Thailand was a classic. In the first leg at My Dinh, Vietnam trailed 0-1 after a mistake by goalkeeper Nguyen Filip. I saw anxiety on the players' faces, but also determination. In the 89th minute, Tien Linh headed the equalizer. The stadium erupted. The return leg in Bangkok saw Thailand lead 2-0 at halftime. Many thought the game was over. But Vietnam fought like never before. In the 65th minute, Quang Hai scored a long-range goal to reduce the deficit. In the 78th minute, Van Thanh equalized. And in the 90+3rd minute, a textbook counter-attack ended with a finish from Van Toan, sealing a 3-2 victory and the third AFF Cup title in history. I stood among the Vietnamese fans on the cold stand, watching the players kneel on the pitch. They had done the impossible. After the match, I met Coach Troussier in the press room. A reporter asked: 'What do you think about the criticism before the tournament?' Troussier smiled: 'Pressure is the privilege of those in football. I am proud of my players.' I didn't ask anything else; I just wrote down that statement. The biggest lesson I learned from this journey is: football is never just about numbers. Behind every victory are thousands of hours of training, drops of sweat, and above all, unwavering belief. The Vietnam national team showed that even when everything is against you, if you unite and fight, you can overcome everything. So the next question is: can they sustain this momentum at the Asian Cup 2027? I will follow and continue writing this story.