Young Vietnamese player confident ahead of the 2026 AFC U17 Championship qualifiers

The Brazilian coach shared: “What pleases me most over the past month is that the players always feel comfortable wearing the national team jersey. Some have been called up before, while many are new to the squad. Nonetheless, all have shown a strong desire to prove themselves, get familiar with the team environment, and adapt well to the playing style developed by the coaching staff. They are demonstrating confidence and a clear understanding of their roles in every situation. This is the foundation for the team to be at its strongest entering the 2026 AFC U17 qualifiers.”

Regarding the six recent practice matches, including the game against U17 Cambodia, Coach Cristiano Roland considers them important warm-ups to help the team improve professionally: “We planned carefully, arranging matches against opponents of different ages and levels — from domestic U18, U19, U21 teams to peers like U17 Cambodia. With each game, the players have made noticeable progress and achieved the goals set by the coaching staff. The upcoming three friendlies during the Japan training camp will also be crucial to ensure the team is fully prepared for the AFC U17 qualifiers.”

Coach Cristiano Roland added that the Vietnam U17 squad has basically formed its core lineup, but every player still has a chance to compete: “Actually, we shaped the team framework from the first gathering and added some outstanding new faces from the national U17 championship. My view is that all players must always be ready. The upcoming training camp in Japan will be an opportunity to finalize and strengthen the strongest squad.”

Vietnam’s match schedule for the 2026 AFC U17 Championship qualifiers:

On the group draw for the Vietnam U17 team in the AFC U17 qualifiers, Coach Cristiano Roland said every opponent deserves respect. “We have thoroughly studied the rivals. Each match is important and presents its own challenges. For me, the most crucial thing is that the players fight with 100% spirit and ability. When they do that, we can make the game easier through our own performance,” emphasized Coach Cristiano Roland.

On the evening of November 5th, the Vietnam U17 team will depart for training in Japan. During this period, the team will play three friendly matches arranged by the Japan Football Association against appropriate opponents. On November 16th, the team will return home to finalize preparations for the 2026 AFC U17 qualifiers, which will take place from November 22nd to 30th in Hanoi and Hung Yen.