Vietnam’s futsal national team coach aims to achieve this in the quarterfinals of the AFC Futsal Championship

The Vietnam futsal team has excellently achieved the objective of moving beyond the group stage of the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship following back-to-back victories.

Alongside Thailand, Coach Diego Giustozzi’s squad became the first two teams to secure quarterfinal spots one match before the end in Group B. The final match between the two teams, scheduled at 3 PM on January 31, only serves to determine the group leader.

Although already qualified, the clash with Thailand still draws significant attention. The Thai team currently ranks 11th in the world, nine places above Vietnam’s futsal team, and is considered superior in experience and squad quality. Nevertheless, Coach Diego Giustozzi affirmed that his team will not enter the match with a giving-up mindset.

Before the match, the Argentine coach admitted the challenge is tough but believes that having secured early qualification will significantly relieve the team’s psychological pressure. “We have achieved the goal of getting past the group stage, so the pressure has been lifted. The whole team will enter the game with a more relaxed mindset, enjoy the match, and aim to win to top the group,” emphasized Coach Diego Giustozzi.

Beyond focusing on the match against Thailand, the Vietnam futsal coaching staff has already started planning for the quarterfinals. According to the current standings, Vietnam’s likely opponent in the knockout stage will be either Indonesia or Iraq. When asked about his preferred option, Coach Giustozzi frankly shared his perspective.

“The two teams have very different styles. Iraq has players with good physique, high technical skills, and strength. Indonesia plays quite similarly to us, focusing on speed, intensity, and direct play.” He further analyzed the venue and audience factor: “Currently, Indonesia is a very strong Asian team and will play in front of about 15,000 home fans. Therefore, if given a choice, I prefer facing Iraq, not because of the team quality—both teams are at a similar level—but because playing in front of around 1,000 fans is easier than the intense atmosphere we would face against Indonesia.”.

Nonetheless, Coach Diego Giustozzi affirmed Vietnam futsal is not afraid of any opponent if they want to advance far in the tournament. His immediate goal and that of his players is to reach the semifinals, despite knowing the path ahead will be very challenging.

“We are a new team, and our long-term goal is to qualify for the next World Cup. However, I believe the team is well balanced, especially in midfield, and can maintain focus throughout the 40 minutes.” The Argentine coach concluded with clear confidence: “With that, we are fully capable of competing with and defeating strong teams in Asia.”

With high spirits, confidence built from the group stage, and sound strategic planning, the Vietnam futsal team is showing great determination in their quest to conquer new milestones at the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship.