Hot football news afternoon 19/6: U23 Vietnam 'changes commander' ahead of ASIAD 2026

From Vietnam's new football strategies, emotional moments at the 2026 World Cup, to the flurry of European transfer movements, the global football community continues to see many attention-grabbing events.

Vietnam Olympic team changes coach at ASIAD 2026

VFF confirms that coach Kim Sang-sik will not directly lead U23 Vietnam at ASIAD 2026 due to his duties with the Vietnam national team at the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 and FIFA Days. Instead, an assistant of the Korean strategist will be appointed to lead the young team.

The Vietnam Olympic team plans to use a core squad consisting of players born between 2005 and 2007, aiming to prepare for the 2027 SEA Games. According to VFF Vice President Tran Anh Tu, ASIAD is an important opportunity for young players to gain international experience and mature before entering major tournaments in the future. It is likely that coach Dinh Hong Vinh will continue to play a key role in this plan.

Ngo Dang Khoa reaches a memorable milestone

Ngo Dang Khoa is one of the most attention-grabbing names in the list of 28 players who were called up by coach Kim Sang-sik to prepare for the ASEAN Championship 2026At age 20, the overseas Vietnamese midfielder who developed through Australian football was called up to the Vietnam national team for the first time, marking initial success on his journey to fulfill the dream of wearing the "Golden Star Warriors" jersey.

In the 2025/26 season, Dang Khoa contributed to helping his club finish in the top 5 of V-League and win the National Cup, scoring 4 goals in 14 matches. Although he still has to compete with many experienced stars like Quang Hai, Hai Long, or Dinh Bac, being given the opportunity by coach Kim Sang-sik has shown the potential and positive development direction of the young player born in 2006.

A 6-0 victory and a moment that left all Canada heartbroken.

The Canadian team created a historic milestone by defeating Qatar 6-0 at the 2026 World Cup to secure their first ever victory in the tournament. On the fiery Vancouver field, "Les Rouges" dominated and led 3-0 before tragedy struck in the 53rd minute, when Ismael Kone suffered a serious injury after a challenge and likely had to leave the tournament. The image of the 24-year-old midfielder giving a thumbs up to encourage the fans as he left the field on a stretcher silenced the entire stadium.

Although Canada then scored more goals to seal the 6-0 victory, the complete joy was replaced by emotion and regret for Kone, who became the emotional focal point of the historic match this.

FIFA makes a swift U-turn after Tuchel's complaint.

The 2026 World Cup witnesses a rare situation when FIFA quickly adjusted the arrangement of sideline reporters just hours after coach Thomas Tuchel's statement.After England's 4-2 victory over Croatia, the German strategist expressed dissatisfaction when dozens of photojournalists stood near the technical area, blocking his view during the national anthem ceremony. Tuchel considered this an incomplete experience during a special moment in his career.

Immediately after, FIFA changed the regulation, moving the reporters' positions to the sides of the coaching bench area and allowing coaches to move more flexibly. This decision was applied immediately in the match between Czech Republic and South Africa, attracting great attention from fans and global media.

European transfer hot spots.

Real Madrid is reportedly ready to let Rodrygo leave this summer transfer window, opening a big opportunity for Arsenal – a club that has been monitoring the Brazilian forward for the past 12 months. Meanwhile, Leicester City rejected Arsenal's first offer for 16-year-old prodigy Jeremy Monga, although the deal is still expected to be completed soon for a fee of £10–15 million.

In another development, RB Leipzig firmly rejected a €100 million offer from Liverpool for Yan Diomande, demanding a price of up to €120 million. Additionally, Johan Manzambi has become a target for Arsenal and Chelsea after his brilliant performance at the 2026 World Cup, scoring 2 goals in just 16 minutes to help Switzerland cause an upset.

Football news roundup.

The Vietnam national team drew attention by calling up 5 naturalized players for the ASEAN Championship 2026, a record number in the team's history. Meanwhile, memories of Nguyen Quang Hai's only goal in France were unexpectedly recalled when goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau – who had been scored against by him – is now playing at the 2026 World Cup.

In other news, Mexico became the first team from Group A to secure a spot in the knockout stage after a 1-0 win over South Korea. Off the pitch, a duck named Merlin went viral after FIFA called it "Mexico's ambassador". Additionally, coach Roberto Martinez is reportedly in talks with Al Nassr and could reunite with Cristiano Ronaldo at club level after the 2026 World Cup concludes.