Appointment of the first domestic coach for Vietnam U23 team

Assistant coach Lưu Danh Minh is confirmed to remain alongside Vietnam U23 for the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualification round.

The PVF Football Youth Training Center - Ministry of Public Security announced that coach Lưu Danh Minh will continue serving as assistant coach of the Vietnam U23 team. Born in 1977, he is currently the most experienced domestic assistant in head coach Kim Sang Sik’s staff.

Mr. Lưu Danh Minh has been a key aide to coach Park Hang Seo throughout his tenure with Vietnamese football, frequently assigned to scout opponents. He is recognized for his experience and dedication to his duties.

Together with coach Park Hang Seo, assistant Lưu Danh Minh helped Vietnam U23 and the national team achieve remarkable results such as 4th place at the 2018 ASIAD, winning the 2018 AFF Cup, gold at the 30th SEA Games, third place at the 2020 AFF Cup, and runner-up at the 2022 AFF Cup.

After coach Kim Sang Sik began working in Vietnam, Lưu Danh Minh was among the first domestic assistants appointed by VFF to support the Korean strategist, alongside assistant Lê Đức Tuấn and goalkeeping coach Ngô Việt Trung. He has contributed to many notable achievements, including winning the 2024 AFF Cup and the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship.

Since both the Vietnam U23 and senior national teams will train simultaneously in September, coach Kim Sang Sik’s assistants will be divided to cover both squads. However, assistant Lưu Danh Minh remains trusted to work with Kim Sang Sik in preparing for the main task: the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers with Vietnam U23.

In this training camp, Vietnam U23 faces their second major mission of 2025, the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers, following their successful defense of the Southeast Asian U23 title. This also serves as crucial preparation for the 33rd SEA Games.

According to the plan, the Vietnam U23 team will gather and train in Việt Trì (Phú Thọ) starting August 30. In Group C of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers, Vietnam U23 will face Bangladesh U23 (September 3), Singapore U23 (September 6), and Yemen U23 (September 9) sequentially.