Vietnam closes in on FIFA rankings, Thailand plans strategy for Asian Cup

Thai Football Association President Nualphan Lamsam disclosed a plan to incorporate naturalized players to bolster Thailand's strength, amid Vietnam's national team narrowing the gap on the FIFA rankings.

Thai Football Association President Nualphan Lamsam (Madam Pang) has taken notable actions as Vietnam's national team accelerates strongly on the FIFA rankings, creating direct pressure on the "War Elephants" position in Southeast Asia.

The FIFA rankings published on March 31 recorded the impressive progress of Vietnam's national team under Kim Sang Sik. The red-shirted team rose 10 places, climbing to 99th in the world with 1225.68 points, officially returning to the top 100 after a long absence. This achievement clearly reflects stable form and a recent series of positive results.

Looking back at the journey, Vietnam's national team was ranked 114th in the world in September 2025. After adding points from the 3-0 win over Malaysia in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers, the team improved to 103rd. With the 3-1 victory over Malaysia at Thiên Trường Stadium, coach Kim Sang Sik and his team continued to accumulate points to break into the top 100.

Meanwhile, Thailand's national team currently ranks 93rd in the world after rising 3 places thanks to a 2-1 win over Turkmenistan, also securing a ticket to the Asian Cup 2027 finals. Although still leading Southeast Asia, the gap with Vietnam is narrowing rapidly, forcing Thai football to take strategic steps.

In this situation, Madam Pang has devised a plan to reinforce the national team's strength, notably including the option of adding naturalized players. Sharing with the media, she confirmed: "I cannot reveal at this moment, but there will definitely be surprises. I want everyone to wait and see how big the surprises will be. We still have nearly 9 months to prepare."

In reality, the trend of using mixed-heritage players has been adopted by Thailand recently with figures like Jonathan Khemdee, Manuel Tom Bihr, Nicholas Mickelson, and Jude Soonsup-Bell. Continuing to expand the naturalized player pool shows the "War Elephants" determination to maintain the top regional position, especially as Vietnam's national team is rising strongly.