Age limit for men's football has not been agreed upon yet.
Thai media reported that, according to the proposal of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) to the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), the host country of the 33rd SEA Games wants to reserve the men's football event for players aged 22. In addition, according to this proposal, players over 22 years old will not be added to the men's football teams participating in the Southeast Asian Games. The reason Thailand wants the age group to participate in the 33rd SEA Games to be the U.22 group, with the aim of anticipating the 2026 AFC U.23 Football Championship.
Vi Hao (right) is 22 years old this year, old enough to participate in the 33rd SEA Games in 2025 and the U.23 Asian tournament in 2026.
It is important to note that the age limit for men's football at the SEA Games is not the same. For example, at the 30th SEA Games in 2019 (held in the Philippines) and the 31st SEA Games in 2022 (held in Vietnam), the age limit is U.23, and each team is allowed to add 3 players over 23 years old. However, at the 32nd SEA Games in 2023 held in Cambodia, teams are not allowed to add players over 23 years old.
Normally, the Southeast Asian Sports Council will approve the regulations of the sports and competitions at the SEA Games, after consulting with the Olympic Committees of the member countries. However, according to tradition, the voice of the host country of each Games is very important at the regional sports council meetings. Therefore, once the host country Thailand proposed the plan to use the U.22 force to compete at the 33rd SEA Games, the teams in Southeast Asia can start calculating the force according to the above age groups.
Vietnam and Indonesia have suitable forces available.
Indonesia will benefit from the proposal of FAT and SAT, because Indonesia will almost certainly use the U22 squad to participate in the 2024 AFF Cup. 22/24 Indonesian players participating in the Southeast Asian Football Championship are in the above-mentioned age group. It can be considered that the young players of the archipelago have had an important "trial by fire" before the 33rd SEA Games.
Vietnamese youth football aims to win the 33rd SEA Games gold medal
How is the Vietnam team's personnel?
Regarding Vietnamese football, whether the U.22 or U.23 team is allowed to participate in the upcoming SEA Games, our strength will not change significantly.
Most of the best young players of Vietnamese football are 22 years old, such as goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien, Doan Huy Hoang (both 22 years old), Cao Van Binh (21 years old), defenders Le Nguyen Hoang, Nguyen Manh Hung, Nguyen Bao Long (20 years old), Nguyen Hong Phuc, Ho Van Cuong (22 years old), midfielders Khuat Van Khang, Nguyen Van Truong, Nguyen Thai Son, Nguyen Duc Viet, Nguyen Phi Hoang (both 22 years old), strikers Bui Vi Hao, Nguyen Quoc Viet, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Tran Ngoc Son (both 22 years old), Nguyen Dinh Bac (21 years old)...
There are only a few faces that are unfortunately eliminated, if the age to participate in SEA Games 33 is U.22, instead of U.23, the most notable of these is goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet (23 years old, currently playing for SLNA Club).
With the above force, the Vietnam U22 team is capable of competing for the gold medal in men's football at the Southeast Asian Games this year. It is worth noting that the Vietnam U22 team has a lot of experience in international competitions. Trung Kien, Vi Hao, Khuat Van Khang, Thai Son, Van Truong, Dinh Bac, and Quoc Viet have worn the Vietnam national team jersey at different stages. Meanwhile, Duc Viet, Thanh Nhan, Van Binh, Nguyen Hoang, and Manh Hung have participated in the 2023 U.20 Asian Cup finals, or the 2024 U.23 Asian Cup finals.
In terms of professional quality and international competition experience, young Vietnamese football players today are not inferior to players of the same age in the region.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tranh-cai-do-tuoi-bong-da-nam-du-sea-games-33-lieu-co-loi-cho-viet-nam-185250124120147467.htm
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