On the evening of November 13, the Vietnamese team had its first training session in the Philippines, just 5 hours after arriving in Manila to prepare for the match against the host team in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, taking place at 6:00 p.m. on November 16.
In an interview before the training session, midfielder Do Hung Dung said that the whole team had been fully informed of the ideas and tactical requirements by coach Troussier. The competition for a spot will be fierce, and no name is certain to be appreciated by the French coach.
"The preparation process of the Vietnamese team is complete, the match will prove what the players have received and will be able to do from the coaching staff. The whole team has only been together for a few days, but counting the time previously training with coach Troussier, the Vietnamese team has actually had 8 months to get acquainted and prepare.
Midfielder Do Hung Dung (number 8)
Vietnam team practice on the evening of November 13
From the beginning, Coach Troussier communicated and helped us understand and feel what the coach wanted, as well as the pressure in training sessions and team meetings. It is not easy to wear the national team jersey. Because no one is sure to have a place in the team, each training session has a different list," Hung Dung emphasized.
Hung Dung played for the U.22 Vietnam team at the 30th SEA Games, also at the Rizal Memorial Stadium in the Philippines, 4 years ago. He played impressively throughout the tournament, scoring a goal in the final match, helping his team beat U.22 Indonesia 3-0.
The 30-year-old player shared: "The feeling of Rizal Memorial Stadium is very familiar, because I played on this field at the SEA Games. But the past is over, my team and I are focusing on the match with the Philippines team. Of course, what happened helps us to play more confidently. In general, it is the motivation to help us be more mentally stable.
The Vietnamese team rarely plays on artificial turf. However, this is a common difficulty for both teams. The Philippines team also only has a few players who play on artificial turf. We share both difficulties and advantages with our opponents."
Talking about the opponent Philippines, Hung Dung said that with most of the team playing in Southeast Asian tournaments such as Thailand, Malaysia or Indonesia, the match between the Vietnam and Philippines teams is a true Southeast Asian "civil war".
The players focus and try hard in every training session.
"The Philippines players mainly play in Southeast Asia and their new coach since June also works in the region. I think this is a World Cup qualifying match, but it is only a civil war in Southeast Asia," Hung Dung emphasized.
The player currently playing for Hanoi FC concluded: "This is a match that marks a turning point for Vietnamese football. Myself and the whole team have been very focused throughout the past time. The whole team is mentally and professionally prepared for this match.
I hope the audience will support the team. Maybe the recent bad results have made people have some thoughts. However, I hope the fans will stand by the team, the players will always enter the field with the spirit of playing their best, doing the best for the team and the fans."
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