Vietnam U19 officially assembles, many faces face risk of elimination

Vietnam U19 officially assembles, initiating the first squad review of 2026 aiming for important tournaments.

The Vietnam U19 national team has officially commenced its first training camp of 2026 with the goal of reviewing the squad, targeting important upcoming missions. The opening session took place on March 16 afternoon at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center, marking the initial preparation for the 2026 Southeast Asian U19 Championship and the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers.

On the first day of assembly, the coaching staff primarily focused on stabilizing organization, disseminating training plans, and checking the players' physical condition. As many players were newly called up, the workload was adjusted to a moderate level with light ball drills, helping the whole team re-acclimate to training rhythm and establish initial connections between positions.

Head coach Yutaka Ikeuchi and his assistants spent considerable time observing and evaluating each individual through basic technical drills and small-group coordination exercises. This is an important step to form initial assessments regarding the players' professional capability, adaptability, and training attitude during this assembly.

A notable point is striker Antonio Moric, a player currently competing for NK Trnje club (Croatia), is temporarily transferred to train with Vietnam U23. This decision aims to provide conditions for the coaching staff to evaluate the player in a higher-level professional environment, before he returns to U19 when Vietnam U23 departs for China to participate in the CFA Team China 2026 tournament.

The training atmosphere was serious yet open, with the young players demonstrating high determination and focus. For many first-time participants, this is seen as a crucial opportunity to prove themselves amidst the team's ongoing evaluation and screening process.

According to the plan, Vietnam U19 will maintain a training frequency of 1 to 2 sessions per day. After about a week, the coaching staff will conduct screening, while also considering adding new personnel to enhance internal competition quality, aiming to build an optimal squad for upcoming international objectives.