Vietnam Futsal and the mission to surpass Thailand at SEA Games 33

03/12/2025 07:59:00 FieldFrenzy

Carrying the desire to change their medal color, Coach Diego Raul Giustozzi and his team face a tough challenge confronting Thailand and Indonesia at SEA Games 33.

Although the goal is to make history, the journey to conquer the men's futsal golden dream is more challenging than ever. While the Vietnamese women's futsal team has only one true rival, the host Thailand, the men's team must face two towering "mountains" named Indonesia and Thailand, not to mention Malaysia and Myanmar, who also refuse to be mere bystanders.

In the current Southeast Asian futsal scene, Vietnam is at a disadvantage in direct confrontations. Indonesia has recently become a nightmare due to its heavy investment strategy in futsal. Under Coach Hector Souto, who previously worked at Thai Son Nam Ho Chi Minh City and knows Vietnamese futsal well, Indonesia has beaten Thailand, defeated Australia, and overcome Vietnam itself to win the Southeast Asian championship.

For Thailand, their failure at the Southeast Asian tournament caused by team rejuvenation forced the SEA Games 33 host to reinforce their lineup. Thai futsal has a solid base thanks to a strong domestic league; their national futsal team has reached world-class standards, ranked in FIFA’s Top 10, and includes stars like Osamanmusa, who has won club championships in Spain. In this context, competing for the gold medal against these two teams is an extremely tough mission. Not to mention Malaysia and Myanmar have frequently made Vietnam struggle.

The Vietnam futsal team faces numerous challenges at SEA Games 33. Photo: VFF

However, difficult does not mean impossible. Under Coach Diego Giustozzi’s guidance, Vietnamese futsal is undergoing significant transformation, especially in tactical organization, game control, and fighting spirit.

Over the past year, Vietnam has aggressively rejuvenated its futsal squad. New talents like Vu Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Da Hai, and Tien Hung have quickly matured, bringing boldness and speed. Alongside the young players are experienced veterans, notably the valuable return of Tran Thai Huy. The combination of experience and youth is forming a balanced team.

According to Coach Giustozzi — a strategist who once won the Futsal World Cup — the Vietnamese team is very different from when he first took over. Players are more confident, fully utilizing their potential, knowing how to impose themselves on weaker opponents and cope with pressure. He stressed: "Pressure is inevitable when representing the national team. But that very pressure is the chance for Vietnamese futsal to claim its first title."

AtSEA Games 33, the single round-robin format makes every match a final. Four matches over four consecutive days are a severe test of endurance and concentration. The opening game against Malaysia is critical and requires a perfect start to build psychological momentum.

Readers interested in SEA Games 33 (2025):

The best featured articles about SEA Games 33

Continuous updates on SEA Games 2025

SEA Games 33 schedule

SEA Games 33 medal table

SEA Games 33 results

Comment (0)