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Vietnam's ascent in Asian football continues under coach Kim Sang-sik

Published: 27 Mar. 2026, 07:00

Vietnam national football team head coach Kim Sang-sik poses with both thumbs up at the JoongAng Ilbo headquarters in Mapo District, western Seoul, on Jan. 13, 2025. [KANG JUNG-HYUN]

Vietnam, long eager to catch up with Korea in football, has emerged as a rising force in Asia under coach Kim Sang-sik, who took over the national team in 2024.

After appointing former coach Park Hang-seo in 2017, Vietnam produced strong regional results and emerged as one of Southeast Asia's leading teams.

Over the past two years, Vietnam has become a dark horse capable of troubling Asia's established powers.

“We got the best possible result in every tournament, and the Vietnamese people are happy, so that makes everyone happy,” Kim told the JoongAng Ilbo in Hanoi, Vietnam. “At restaurants and in taxis [...] so many people tell me that I don't have to pay — to the point in which I almost feel embarrassed. But moments like that make the stress of coaching feel worthwhile,” Kim said with a smile.

Kim’s team has continued its rise. It swept Southeast Asia’s three biggest titles, starting with the Asean Mitsubishi Electric Cup in January 2025 and continuing with the Asean U-23 Championship and the SEA Games that July.

Kim's “magic” expanded onto the wider Asian stage in January, when Vietnam beat Korea in a penalty shootout in the third-place playoff of the AFC U23 Asian Cup to claim the bronze medal.

“After the final whistle, I saw our Vietnamese players celebrating. Right beside them, the Korean players were collapsing to the ground in tears,” Kim said, recalling his mixed emotions.

Vietnam U-23 football team celebrates after defeating Indonesia during their final Asean U-23 Championship match at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 29, 2025. [AP/YONHAP]

Kim stressed the importance of communication. Under former coach Park, players who competed in difficult conditions were motivated by the idea of using football to achieve wealth and recognition. But now that many of them are earning high salaries, that incentive no longer carries the same weight.

“We’ve set long-term goals, such as breaking into Asia’s top 10 and reaching the World Cup. But when it comes to the step-by-step tactical side, I try to explain things in a way that is simple and clear,” Kim said. “For example, when I want them to keep the space between the lines compact, I tell them I want to see all 10 outfield players on the same television screen as often as possible.”

An egalitarian relationship with his players has also been key to his success. “Whenever I get the chance, I share a meal or have tea with the players and talk with them,” Kim said. “Some of them open up about personal concerns that have nothing to do with football. I’m trying to create an atmosphere in which they see my words not as orders from a coach but as advice from an older brother who genuinely cares about them.”

As he helps reshape Vietnamese football, Kim’s own perspective on football has also changed. The key word now, he said, is flexibility.

“A coach is like a chef,” Kim said. “You look at the ingredients you have and decide what kind of dish you can make with them. In the past, I couldn’t abandon my obsession with ingredients and methods that I simply didn’t have. But after coming to Vietnam and taking on this new challenge, I’ve learned to be flexible — to go with a plan if I think it has even a 51 percent chance of success and to boldly let go of the remaining 49 percent.”

Kim attended a youth football academy event jointly hosted by the K League and HD Hyundai Electric in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, March 7.

“For Vietnamese football to truly stand on its own, we need to properly teach talented young prospects and guide their development in the right direction,” said Kim, having readily traveled 1,200 kilometers (745.6 miles) to coach children for more than two hours. “If it's about nurturing the next generation, I'll gladly go anywhere.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SONG JI-HOON [[email protected]]