AFC penalizes Malaysia with defeat against Vietnam: A sense of relief and a sigh of relief

The decision by the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee to penalize Malaysia with a 0-3 loss in two matches against Vietnam and Nepal was an unavoidable outcome based on the highly negative developments regarding the rebuttals from the Malaysian Football Association (FAM). However, unlike defeating an opponent on the field, the feeling of securing a spot for the 2027 Asian Cup was something both relieving and... a sigh of relief.

The essence of the matter is not necessarily because Malaysia's calculations were incorrect, but because their method was wrong. No one prohibits the use of naturalized players, but everything must follow the correct procedures, especially the timing factor. Malaysia's biggest mistake was trying to rapidly expedite the naturalization of a large number of players, enough to create a difference in playing quality at a specific moment, thereby defeating Vietnam 4-0 in the first leg, opening the door wide to the 2027 Asian Cup.

That is precisely the crux of the issue. Malaysia has been using naturalized players for a long time, even leading Asia in this regard. Therefore, the careless handling of paperwork, whether unintentional or deliberate, is merely a technical error; in essence, sooner or later, Malaysia will find ways to strengthen the national team with more naturalized players.

Thus, for Vietnamese football, the feeling is merely relief. We escaped a disastrous defeat, not the joy of defeating an opponent on the pitch. We must face that reality squarely, as it cannot be said that if Malaysia had not naturalized players carelessly, Vietnam would have won the first leg or would easily have won the second leg. Malaysia is not lacking and will continue to add naturalized players.

So the subsequent feeling is... a sigh of relief. The lingering worry has been lifted, and there is added luck from securing a spot without even needing to play. For now, with qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup secured, coach Kim Sang Sik has more time and a goal to completely restructure the national team, both in personnel and playing style. The circumstances have changed. Before Malaysia was penalized with a loss, the chance to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup was too slim, so coach Kim's main task was the 2026 ASEAN Cup. But now, this tournament could become a testing ground for the squad instead of having to win it at all costs.

Precisely because of the 2027 Asian Cup, long-term plans for the dream of the 2030 World Cup also need to be initiated right from this moment, rather than waiting until after the 2026 ASEAN Cup. Coach Kim Sang Sik is beginning to "receive" new resources from naturalized foreign players and overseas Vietnamese.

Soon, these elements will constitute over 50% of the main squad. With the U23 generation that recently succeeded in Asia, along with veterans still shining in V-League, plus naturalized players, clearly coach Kim Sang Sik is at a golden moment to build a national team of the highest caliber.

Let's take the unfortunate case of Malaysian football as an example. They used up to 14 naturalized players at the 2023 Asian Cup and had good results to confidently pursue a long-term path. But due to excessive haste, they veered onto a different fork in the naturalization strategy that is a long-term trend in Southeast Asian football.

One mistake, and now the price Malaysian football must pay is very high after AFC conducted a comprehensive audit and domestic public opinion is split on how to rebuild the football foundation.

Vietnamese football has been cautious in naturalization. We have patiently followed this trend and allocated more time for youth football. Therefore, preparations need to be made earlier and further ahead; do not let the relief of securing an Asian Cup spot be overshadowed by worries about how to win the ASEAN Cup.