Youth football training, the foundation for a strong national team

In recent years, Asian football fans have seen a new face that has begun to achieve success in both youth and national football, namely Uzbekistan. The young generation of the Central Asian country has continuously achieved success when their U.17 team reached the quarterfinals of the U.17 World Cup; U.20 won the 2023 Asian Championship, reached the round of 16 of the U.20 World Cup in the same year; and U.23 won the bronze medal at the 2023 ASIAD and was runner-up at the 2024 U.23 Asian Championship.

To achieve these results, Uzbekistan football has spent tens of millions of dollars to build facilities and sponsor youth football programs. This is also in line with the national program to promote passion for sports among young people.

The incredible journey of U.17 Vietnam: The chance to win a historic golden ticket

U.17 Vietnam ( right ) is playing very well at the 2025 AFC U.17 Championship.

Photo: VFF

Of course, this strategy will take time and patience, but they are ready for it. "Uzbek football can only rely on the development of the young generation," Nikimbaev, a former Uzbek Football Federation (UFA) official, said in 2015. "And one day we will reach the promised land called the World Cup."

These talented young players are helping Uzbekistan to finish second in Group A of the 2026 World Cup third qualifying round, the position that will qualify directly for the finals, currently 4 points ahead of the 3rd-placed UAE with only 2 more matches to go. If Uzbekistan can get 3 points in the remaining 2 matches, they will officially qualify for the World Cup for the first time.

In Vietnamese football, in recent years, youth training has been a top priority, but investment has not been consistent. After the golden generation born in 1995 with Cong Phuong, Van Toan, Tuan Anh, Xuan Truong of HAGL or Bui Tien Dung (The Cong Viettel), Duy Manh (Hanoi Club) and the next generation of Quang Hai, Van Hau (Hanoi Club), Hoang Duc (The Cong Viettel), Tien Linh (Binh Duong) ..., who participated in the 2017 World Cup with U.20 Vietnam and won the runner-up position in the 2018 U.23 Asia, Vietnamese youth football has not been able to achieve any more achievements until now. Outstanding young players are also increasingly rare because they do not have the opportunity to appear in top tournaments such as the V-League. This is the reason why Vietnamese youth teams cannot compete in continental tournaments.

To have a strong and sustainable Vietnamese team in the coming years, from now on, the country's football people need to create maximum conditions for the young players who are wearing the U.17 Vietnam jersey at the U.17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia to have more opportunities to play in domestic tournaments. Because this is a generation of players who are considered to have great potential, from physique to playing techniques and tactics. If they are allowed to play regularly, surely in the near future, Vietnamese football will have a strong and excellent successor force.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dao-tao-bong-da-tre-nen-tang-de-doi-tuyen-quoc-gia-vung-manh-185250409194309621.htm