The 2025 U23 Southeast Asian Championship brings a big boost to Vietnamese football. (Photo: AFF)

Notably, the Vietnamese team clinched the title with a perfect winning record throughout the tournament. The joy was doubled as striker Nguyen Dinh Bac became the first Vietnamese player to be named the tournament’s Best Player.

This championship also marked a milestone for head coach Kim Sang-sik, who became the first to win both the AFF U23 title and the ASEAN Cup.

The 2025 AFF U23 Championship took place from July 15 to 29, featuring 10 teams, excluding Australia.

In his congratulatory message, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh praised the victory as a reaffirmation of Vietnam’s leading position in regional youth football and a symbol of the determination and relentless effort of Vietnamese youth to conquer continental and global arenas.