.png)
The history of Vietnamese football
Football has been played in Vietnam since the late 19th century. It was introduced to French Cochinchina around 1896, before gradually spreading to the centre and north of the country. The first recorded match between two local Vietnamese teams took place in 1908. In the 1920s, football began to take shape with the creation of clubs and sporting organisations.The history of the national team, however, is more complex than that of a unified state.
Between 1954 and 1975, Vietnam was divided and there were two national teams: one from the North and one from the South. South Vietnam took part in the first editions of the Asian Cup, finishing fourth in 1956 and 1960.
After reunification, Vietnamese football underwent a long period of rebuilding.The current Vietnam Football Federation was established in the late 1980s. The reunified national team played its first international match in 1983, and began to participate regularly in international competitions from the 1991 Southeast Asian Games onwards.
Progress since the 2000s
The major turning point in the modern era came in 2007–2008. Vietnam reached the quarter-finals of the 2007 Asian Cup, then won its first ASEAN Football Championship in 2008.
The 2017–2023 generation, led in particular by manager Park Hang-seo, then enabled Vietnam to reach new heights. The national team reached the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup once again in 2019 and, for the first time, progressed to the third round of World Cup qualifying for the 2022 tournament.
Since the arrival of South Korean manager Kim Sang-sik in 2024, Vietnam has won the 2024 and 2026 ASEAN Cups. The 2026 title was secured against Thailand, with a 2–0 Vietnamese victory in the first leg followed by a 2–2 draw in the second leg.
This brings Vietnam’s tally of regional titles to four: 2008, 2018, 2024 and 2026.
Where exactly is Vietnam ?
As of 20 July 2026, Vietnam was ranked 99th in the FIFA men’s world rankings, with its highest-ever ranking being 84th, achieved in September 1998.
This gives a fairly clear indication of its standard:
• South-East Asia: Vietnam is among the region’s leading teams, alongside Thailand and Indonesia in particular.
• Asia: Vietnam is a competitive side but does not yet rank amongst the continent’s powerhouses such as Japan, South Korea, Iran or Australia.
• World: its ranking around the FIFA Top 100 shows that it is a solid international side, but still some way off the level of the major European and South American nations.
Its main challenge, therefore, is to translate its regional dominance into consistent results against higher-ranked Asian sides.
What 's Next steps ?
Vietnam have qualified for the 2027 Asian Cup. In this tournament, they are set to face South Korea and the United Arab Emirates in the group stage.
This Asian Cup will be the national team’s next major continental test.
In the longer term, Kim Sang-sik’s stated aim is far more ambitious: to qualify Vietnam for their first World Cup.
Following the 2026 ASEAN title, the manager explicitly stated his intention to lead Vietnam to the World Cup.
The Vietnam Football Federation also highlights youth development, training, the improvement of domestic competitions and building continuity between generations as key elements of its long-term strategy.
In summary
Vietnam is now a regional powerhouse in South-East Asia, having won the ASEAN Championship four times, and is now aiming to become a consistently competitive side at Asian level.
Its medium-term aim is to perform well at the Asian Cup and consolidate its position amongst the top teams in the AFC. Its longer-term aim is a historic one: to reach the finals of a Men’s World Cup for the first time.
A promising performance on the rise
Evaluation, what's about the level?
Global rating: 5.5/10
Asian rating: 6.5/10
South-East Asian rating: 9/10
How strong is Vietnam really?
World: intermediate level
Asia: second tier / serious contender
South-East Asia: No. 1 or No. 2 title contender
Vietnam is not yet on a par with Japan, South Korea, Iran or Australia.
But it is certainly no longer just a minor Asian side.
FIFA itself highlights the considerable progress made by Vietnamese football: the men’s national team has climbed 40 places in the FIFA rankings over the past ten years, reaching 99th place.
And Kim Sang-sik has achieved impressive results: following their 2026 title win, Vietnam went on a 26-match unbeaten run, with 22 wins and four draws, according to Yonhap.
This run of results needs to be put into context:
a large proportion of Vietnam’s opponents come from South-East Asia. The real test of whether Vietnam can take their game to the next level will be their ability to consistently beat teams such as:
-
Japan
-
South Korea
-
Iran
-
Australia
-
Saudi Arabia
-
Qatar
-
Uzbekistan
THE PLAYERS OF
THE VIETNAM NATIONAL TEAM
Patrik Le Giang
1
Goalkeeper
Position
34
years old
Goalkeeper / shot-stopper
Tactical role
Cong An Ho Chi Minh City
Club 2026
Dang Van Lam
23
Goalkeeper
Position
33
years old
Experienced goalkeeper
Tactical role
Phu Dong Ninh Binh
Club 2026
Dinh Quang Kiet
4
Centre-Back
Position
19
years old
Young central defender
Tactical role
Hoang Anh Gia Lai
Club 2026
Nguyen Thanh Chung
16
Centre-Back
Position
29
years old
Experienced central defender
Tactical role
Hanoi FC
Club 2026
Truong Tien Anh
15
Right-Back / Wing-Back
Position
27
years old
Right wing-back / wide defender
Tactical role
Phu Dong Ninh Binh
Club 2026
Bui Hoang Viet Anh
20
Centre-Back
Position
27
years old
Central defender
Tactical role
Cong An Ha Noi
Club 2026
Phan Tuan Tai
24
Left-Back
Position
25
years old
Left-back / left-sided defender
Tactical role
The Cong-Viettel
Club 2026
Do Hoang Hen
10
Attacking Midfielder
Position
32
years old
Playmaker / creative midfielder
Tactical role
Hanoi FC
Club 2026
Le Phạm Thành Long
8
Central / Defensive Midfielder
Position
30
years old
Ball recovery / midfield balance
Tactical role
Cong An Ha Noi
Club 2026
Nguyen Quang Hai
19
Attacking Midfielder
Position
29
years old
Playmaker / set-piece specialist
Tactical role
Cong An Ha Noi
Club 2026
Pham Gia Hung
17
Centre-Forward
Position
26
years old
Striker / target forward
Tactical role
Phu Dong Ninh Binh
Club 2026
Nguyen Dinh Bac
9
Winger / Forward
Position
22
years old
Winger / attacking forward
Tactical role
Cong An Ha Noi
Club 2026
Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong
22
Winger / Forward
Position
26
years old
Wide forward / attacking option
Tactical role
Becamex Ho Chi Minh City
Club 2026
Tran Trung Kien
21
Goalkeeper
Position
23
years old
Young goalkeeper / development option
Tactical role
Hoang Anh Gia Lai
Club 2026
Nguyen Van Vi
3
Left-Back
Position
28
years old
Attacking full-back / wing-back
Tactical role
Thep Xanh Nam Dinh
Club 2026
Khong Minh Gia Bao
11
Centre-Back
Position
25
years old
Central defender / cover
Tactical role
Cong An Ho Chi Minh City
Club 2026
Pham Xuan Manh
7
Right-Back
Position
30
years old
Full-back / defensive utility player
Tactical role
Hanoi FC
Club 2026
Doan Van Hau
5
Left-Back
Position
27
years old
Left-back / left-sided defender
Tactical role
Cong An Ha Noi
Club 2026
Nguyen Nhat Minh
6
Centre-Back
Position
23
years old
Left-footed central defender
Tactical role
Hai Phong
Club 2026
Nguyen Hai Long
18
Central / Attacking Midfielder
Position
26
years old
Box-to-box / attacking midfielder
Tactical role
Hanoi FC
Club 2026
Nguyen Hoang Duc
14
Central Midfielder
Position
28
years old
Deep playmaker / ball progression
Tactical role
Phu Dong Ninh Binh
Club 2026
Le Van Do
26
Right Midfielder / Wing-Back
Position
25
years old
Wide midfielder / wing-back
Tactical role
Cong An Ha Noi
Club 2026
Nguyen Ngoc My
25
Midfielder / Winger
Position
22
years old
Wide attacking midfielder
Tactical role
Phu Dong Ninh Binh
Club 2026
Nguyen Tai Loc
13
Forward
Position
33
years old
Forward / attacking option
Tactical role
Phu Dong Ninh Binh
Club 2026
Nguyen Xuan Son
12
Centre-Forward
Position
29
years old
Main striker / goalscorer
Tactical role
Thep Xanh Nam Dinh
Club 2026
