Expert Doan Minh Xuong: 'V-League 2025/26 Gets Off to a Promising Start'

27/08/2025 13:55:00 soccer

Expert Doan Minh Xuong has provided frank and passionate perspectives on the current stories of Vietnamese football, spanning from the V-League to the national team and U23 Vietnam.

* Sports & Culture: The 2025/26 V-League season has started with thrilling developments, indicating fierce and unpredictable races ahead. What is your impression of this season’s beginning?

- Expert Doan Minh Xuong: The opening segment of the V-League 2025/26 has brought many positive feelings to supporters.

Early results promise that the 2025/26 V-League will be extremely exciting. This year’s competition holds many surprises and great hopes, from ambitious clubs to teams pushing themselves hard with full awareness of their capabilities. This shows the race this season could be fierce and unpredictable. More broadly, the 2025/26 season is tough right from the starting line.

* What are the key highlights seen at the start of this season?

- Generally, the beginning has revealed a fierce season from the outset. The difficulties faced by title contenders in the first matches indicate a highly competitive season. The race for the crown promises to be unpredictable, especially as strong candidates Nam Dinh and CAHN have to split their focus across four fronts. Moreover, with two direct relegation spots in the V-League, teams will have to grit their teeth and accumulate points early to avoid sinking into the relegation battle.

If this continues, fans will witness a level playing field where the championship is no longer the exclusive domain of a few wealthy clubs. Of course, early matches cannot determine everything as “only time reveals the true quality.” Especially, the grueling competition stretched over two long years demands teams to combine squad depth, consistent form, fitness, and some luck to compete in the long run.

* It’s still early, but from initial signs, can you envision the championship contenders this season?

- Based on strength, experts see the title race this year as a battle among the "big 4": Nam Dinh, CAHN, Hanoi FC, and Viettel’s The Cong. These four clubs not only hold most of Vietnam’s football stars but also have top-class foreign players, among the best in the V-League. Furthermore, they all have squad depth for the long haul, fielding strong lineups despite suspensions or injuries.

* The Vietnam national team has no international matches during the September FIFA Days, so Coach Kim Sang Sik has given chances to many new players. Is this surprising?

- Among the 24 players called up this time, 10 are either new or rarely selected under Coach Kim Sang Sik. This is understandable since the national team has no official matches in September. The team will play two friendlies against Nam Dinh and CAHN.

Expert Doan Minh Xuong believes CAHN (left) and The Cong Viettel (right) remain two of the top four contenders for the V-League title. Photo: Hoang Linh

The lack of official matches allows the national team to keep players active and test some new individuals. This gathering is important for some players under Coach Kim Sang Sik’s observation. Therefore, to be named in the October call-up or later, each player must strive to show their ability to catch the coach’s attention.

Nam Dinh and CAHN both have very quality foreign players in their squads. Hence, these matches will be valuable given the current situation of the national team. Coach Kim Sang Sik is clearly open to giving opportunities if he sees potential in players, showing that performances of new talents have been recognized. The remaining issue is whether these new players can catch the rhythm, connect with the national team’s style, and compete with familiar names, which is another matter.

* The U23 Vietnam team is also preparing for the AFC U23 qualifiers aiming to secure a spot in the final tournament. Do you think this goal is fully within our reach?

- Coach Kim Sang Sik retains the core squad that recently won the Southeast Asian U23 Championship and adds quality players for the 2026 AFC U23 qualifiers. The task for the players is to top Group C and qualify for the final tournament.

Looking at the newly announced U23 Vietnam roster, it’s clear Coach Kim Sang Sik places full trust in the core that won the regional title. The players who have gelled and played together throughout the tournament continue to get chances. The inclusion of Tran Thanh Trung is the only new highlight. The overseas Vietnamese midfielder is a necessary creative addition in midfield, rather than a sign of a personnel revolution.

In the AFC U23 qualifiers, U23 Vietnam will play at home and face teams considered weaker such as U23 Bangladesh, Singapore, and Yemen. The mission is to win Group C to enter the 2026 AFC U23 finals and build confidence and enthusiasm to pursue the gold medal in men’s football at SEA Games 33 in Thailand later this year.

* Beyond qualifying for the 2026 AFC U23 finals, U23 Vietnam also aims for bigger goals. How do you assess the current state of our youth football with recent positive signs?

- The recent successes of the U23 Vietnam team strongly confirm the development of Vietnamese youth football at the regional level.

Winning the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship brings positive signals for the next phase of youth football in Vietnam. Early achievements serve as milestones, motivating and inspiring young players. The growth and shining performances of young players in a highly competitive tournament clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the long-term investment strategy in youth football.

Our young players must have opportunities to develop by training and competing in high-level football environments, thereby improving the quality of national youth teams and supplying quality players for domestic clubs and national teams in the future. To realize the dream of Vietnam’s football reaching the World Cup one day soon, Vietnamese football urgently needs boosts through cooperation with countries having advanced football systems worldwide to systematically and deeply scout and train young talents from an early age.

* Thank you very much for the conversation!

Vietnamese football has no shortage of talent, but to refine it properly requires following the right path with a meticulous and solid plan. Youth groups like U17 and U19 must be carefully observed and selectively invested in with a focused long-term goal. For young players to follow the right development path, improve well, and narrow the gap with Asia’s leading football nations, they need a more professional and structured environment to raise their standards.

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