Coach Park Hang Seo and the unbelievable miracle with Vietnamese football

On this day 8 years ago, October 11, 2017 – Coach Park Hang Seo set foot in Vietnam, ushering in a glorious chapter in the nation’s football history

Arriving in Vietnam at the end of 2017, Coach Park Hang Seo led both the Vietnam national team and U23 squad to numerous achievements over five years.

In early 2018, the strategist born in 1957 helped the Vietnam U23 team create a miracle by finishing as runners-up at the AFC U23 Championship. Afterwards, he guided his players to the semifinals of the 2018 Asian Games. In the same year, Coach Park Hang Seo and the Vietnam national team convincingly won the AFF Cup after a decade-long wait.

At the 2019 Asian Cup, under Coach Park Hang Seo’s leadership, the Golden Star Warriors reached the quarterfinals. More notably, the Vietnam national team made history by qualifying for the third round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers. This is considered one of the greatest successes of Coach Park Hang Seo with Vietnamese football.

At the U23 level, he and the Golden Star Warriors secured two consecutive gold medals in men’s football at the SEA Games in 2019 and 2022. SEA Games 31, held at home, was also Coach Park Hang Seo’s final tournament with the U23 Vietnam team. After this event, he focused on the senior national team, while fellow Korean coach Gong Oh Kyun took over the U23 squad.

With Coach Park Hang Seo set to depart from the Vietnam national team after the 2022 AFF Cup, many fans feel a sense of regret. If the Golden Star Warriors reclaim the championship from Thailand, it would be the perfect finale for Coach Park Hang Seo’s journey with Vietnamese football.

Currently, Coach Park Hang Seo serves as Vice President of the Korea Football Association. With his extensive coaching experience and communication skills, he promises to bring significant breakthroughs to Korean football and help enhance the national sports image.