The Vietnam national under-23 and Olympic football team () represents Vietnam in international football tournaments at the under-22 and under-23 age level.
The team is considered to be the feeder team for the Vietnam national football team, with its successes and performance are usually consistent and closely associated with its senior counterpart. The under-23 team played their first unofficial matches in the 1997 Independence Cup, and played their first official match against Indonesia on 26 April 1999. The Vietnamese football team did not enjoy relative success until 2003, when they came second in that year's Southeast Asian Games as hosts.
During the 2005 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines, a betting and match-fixing scandal involving the team captain Lê Quá»Âc Vðợng shocked the team reputation. The scandal destroyed the careers of several players on the squad, including striker Phạm VÃÂn Quyến and shattered Vietnamese public image towards the youth team, making many of their football fans stay away from the sport along with the a dramatic decrease in attendance for matches.
In 2007, the Hoàng Anh Gia Lai â Arsenal JMG Academy was established through a partnership with Arsenal F.C., JMG Academy and the Vietnamese privately owned Hoàng Anh Gia Lai Corporation to revive the Vietnamese youth football. Through training of the Vietnamese youth players in the academy, this subsequently produced many new talented players which became part of the new generation of under-23s.
However, the redevelopment program wouldn't bring immediate success. Although Vietnam was able to produce some surprising performances in tournaments, such as reaching the round of 16 in the 2014 Asian Games, the team generally failed to deliver the expected regional dominance, most notably coming second in the 2009 Southeast Asian Games as favorites to win the tournament and only finishing third in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games with an extremely talented squad. The greatest disappointment came in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, when Vietnam were eliminated in the group stage despite the squad being regarded as the most talented squad since the revival period, containing many players who had participated in the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Under Japanese coach Toshiya Miura, Vietnam made their debut in the tournament having qualified from the AFC U-23 qualification in 2016. Positioned in Group I in the qualifiers, Vietnam claimed their first victory over Malaysia by beating them 2âÂÂ1, though they would lose 0âÂÂ2 to Japan afterwards but managed to bounce back with a 7âÂÂ0 win over Macau in their last group match, and became the group runners-up. The team was then placed in Group D, where they lost 1âÂÂ3 to Jordan, 0âÂÂ2 to Australia, and 2âÂÂ3 to United Arab Emirates.
The team made their second entry in this tournament under South Korean coach Park Hang-seo having qualified from the AFC U-23 qualification in 2018. Drawn again in Group I in the qualifiers, the team started their first match with a 4âÂÂ0 victory over Timor-Leste before accomplishing a great win of 8âÂÂ1 over Macau. Although they lost to South Korea by 1âÂÂ2 in the third group match, Vietnam qualified to the AFC U-23 Championship as the Group I runners-up. The team then placed again in Group D. Although they lost again to South Korea by 1âÂÂ2, the team bounced back and defeated Australia by 1âÂÂ0 before drawing 0âÂÂ0 with Syria. The team became the group runners-up and subsequently became the first Southeast Asian team, alongside Malaysia, who were able to qualify into the quarter finals for the first time in the tournament as well in both teams' history. At the quarter finals, Vietnam managed to lead the match into additional time with a draw score of 3âÂÂ3 against former champion Iraq, before winning the penalty shoot-out by 5âÂÂ3, sending the team to semi-finals. The team then met Qatar with the match ending in another draw of 2âÂÂ2 where they won the match with their second penalty shoot-out of the tournament by 4âÂÂ3, resulting in the team being the first Southeast Asian football team in history to go to the finals in the competition's history and for the first time ever Vietnam had participated in the final of an AFC competition. At the finals, Vietnam lost to Uzbekistan by 1âÂÂ2, claiming second place. Despite Vietnam's failure to win the tournament, this was hailed as a historic achievement for Vietnam and the team received national wide welcome after returning from China and subsequently honored by the state for its historic performance.
Vietnam tried to run for the race to host the competition, but was eventually beaten by Thailand over the hosting rights. Thus, Vietnam had to take part on the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship qualification where Vietnam was seeded together with Thailand, Indonesia and Brunei, Thailand officially qualified regardless of results. Even though being seeded in a tough group, Vietnam went on to overcome both opponents with over 11 goals scored and conceded none, topping the group with a perfect fashion including the famed 4âÂÂ0 win over Thailand. In the main stage which served as the qualification for the 2020 Summer Olympics, Vietnam was again seeded into group D where they would once again reunite with Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, alongside North Korea. They had two 0-0 draws over United Arab Emirates and Jordan, before lose to North Korea by 1-2 and being eliminated by finished last place in the group.
Vietnam were drawn in Group I of the 2022 qualifiers, along with Myanmar and Chinese Taipei, defeating both teams with narrow 1âÂÂ0 victories to qualify for the main tournament. Vietnam was seeded into Group C with defending champions South Korea along with neighbors Thailand and Malaysia. After Park Hang-seo's exit from the under-23 national team, Vietnam entered the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup under the brief management of Gong Oh-kyun. Vietnam played their first match against rivals Thailand; despite taking the lead twice, Vietnam was forced to share a point with Thailand. The Golden Star Warriors then met South Korea, managing to produce a shock 1âÂÂ1 draw, and defeated Malaysia 2âÂÂ0 to reach the quarter-finals for the second time. However, Vietnam's campaign would end with a 0âÂÂ2 defeat to eventual champions Saudi Arabia.
In the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification, Vietnam was positioned in Group C as hosts along with Yemen, Singapore and Guam. The team topped the group with a dominant 6âÂÂ0 win against Guam and a close 1âÂÂ0 victory against Yemen, before drawing 2âÂÂ2 to Singapore to qualify for the final tournament. Vietnam were then drawn in Group D along with Uzbekistan, Kuwait and Malaysia. The team started the campaign with comfortable 3âÂÂ1 and 2âÂÂ0 wins against Kuwait and Malaysia, respectively, before losing 0âÂÂ3 to Uzbekistan in the final match, missing the chance to top the group. In the quarter-finals, Vietnam suffered a tough 0âÂÂ1 defeat to Iraq and thus were eliminated, missing the chance to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Vietnam took part in the 2026 qualifiers, being placed into Group C, reuniting with Yemen and Singapore, and also meeting Bangladesh. Under the leadership of new manager Kim Sang-sik, Vietnam started the qualifiers with a 2âÂÂ0 win against Bangladesh, followed up by 1âÂÂ0 wins against Singapore and Yemen to qualify for the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup with three out of three wins. Unlike the previous two editions, Vietnam found themselves in a much more difficult group, being seeded in Group A with hosts Saudi Arabia, Jordan and debutants Kyrgyzstan. Vietnam begun their campaign with a surprising 2âÂÂ0 win against Jordan as underdogs, before defeating Kyrgyzstan 2âÂÂ1 in the second match. After that, Vietnam achieved an upset 1âÂÂ0 victory against hosts Saudi Arabia, topping the group with all nine points acquired for the first time in history. After a perfect group stage performance, Vietnam met United Arab Emirates in the quarter-finals. Vietnam managed to overcome the United Arab Emirates 3âÂÂ2 in extra-time, reaching the semi-finals for the second time ever. However, the team's ambitions for the historic title would come to an end as they suffered a 0âÂÂ3 defeat to China in the semi-finals. Following the semi-final defeat, the "Golden Star Warriors" then met South Korea in the third-place match. After dragging the match to extra time with a thrilling 2âÂÂ2 draw, Vietnam produced another astonishing victory as they defeated Korea 7âÂÂ6 on penalties, finishing their 2026 campaign finishing at third place. This is the first time that Vietnam defeat South Korea in U23's level in history . Similarly to 2018, the squad was praised for its remarkable performance during the tournament.
In the 2018 Asian Games, Vietnam made another remarkable achievement under the guidance of coach Park as they qualified to the semi-finals for the first time in their history with a . Drawn in Group D, the team beat Pakistan by 3âÂÂ0, Nepal by 2âÂÂ0, and former champion Japan by 1âÂÂ0 to lead the group. In the second round, Vietnam then met Bahrain and defeated them by 1âÂÂ0 before defeating Syria 1âÂÂ0 in the quarter-finals in a match that went to overtime. At the semi-finals, Vietnam met the defending champion South Korea, led by their 2018 FIFA World Cup players such as pair strikers Son Heung-min, Hwang Hee-chan and their goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo, where they failed to continue their path to the finals after losing by 1âÂÂ3. The team then met United Arab Emirates for the bronze medal match. The score remained 1âÂÂ1 after extra time, and they ended up losing the penalty shoot-out 3âÂÂ4.
Olympic Vietnam participated in the 2022 Asian Games. The tournament, scheduled to begin in September 2022, was delayed to SeptemberâÂÂOctober 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Vietnam were seeded into a difficult Group B along with Saudi Arabia, Iran and Mongolia. After a 4âÂÂ2 win against Mongolia in the opening match, Vietnam faced heavy 0âÂÂ4 and 1âÂÂ3 defeats to Iran and Saudi Arabia, finishing third in the group. Out of the five groups, Vietnam ranked worst among the third-placed teams, and thus were eliminated early from the competition.
The victory in the 2019 football edition of the Southeast Asian Games is considered as the country first ever SEA Games men's football title since the Vietnamese reunification, having won the first edition of the 1959 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games through South Vietnam. In the 2019 edition, Vietnam opened their campaign in Group B with a large victory over Brunei by 6âÂÂ0 as well as Laos by 6âÂÂ1 before defeating Indonesia and Singapore through a slim win by 2âÂÂ1 and 1âÂÂ0 respectively. In their last match in the group, Vietnam able to drawn itself by 2âÂÂ2 against long-time SEA Games men's dominating champion Thailand after being left by two goals in the earlier minutes. After successfully securing themselves in the top group standings, they then meet the rising team of Cambodia in the semi-finals and defeat them with a large win of 4âÂÂ0 before meeting Indonesia again in the final and defeat them by 3âÂÂ0 to secure the title after 60 years long-waited.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Southeast Asian Games hosted by Vietnam, were postponed to 2022. Playing in front of their home fans, Vietnam would successfully defend their SEA Games title, as coach Park Hang-seo in his last tournament for the U23/Olympic team, led the nation to their 2nd consecutive gold medal. Vietnam began their campaign in the 31st SEA Games with a comfortable 3âÂÂ0 win over Indonesia. However, they failed to breakthrough in the second match, as Vietnam were held to a draw against the Philippines by a score of 0âÂÂ0. Vietnam would bounce back and win both of their last group matches against Myanmar and Timor-Leste to advance to the knockout stage. Vietnam also narrowly defeated Malaysia in a thrilling semi-final match that went to extra time, to advance to the final with a 1âÂÂ0 victory. Facing their biggest rivals Thailand, an 83rd-minute winner by Nhâm Mạnh Dà ©ng erupted the Mỹ ÃÂình National Stadium in cheers as Vietnam won back-to-back gold medals in the SEA Games football tournament. Vietnam ended their final match with no goals conceded, a SEA Games record, before coach Park Hang-seo left the Under-23/Olympic team.
After the victory at the 2021 SEA Games, coach Park Hang-seo left the Vietnamese team. Subsequently, Vietnam participated in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games under the management of Philippe Troussier. Vietnam were seeded into Group B, along with Thailand, Malaysia, Laos and Singapore. Vietnam achieved comfortable wins against Laos (2âÂÂ0) and Singapore (3âÂÂ1) in the opening matches, and narrowly defeated Malaysia 2âÂÂ1 to guarantee their qualification to the knockouts. After a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Thailand, the team finished second in Group B (lower goal difference compared to Thailand) and would face Group A winners Indonesia. Against 10-men Indonesia, Vietnam squandered many chances in the semi-final match and lost 2âÂÂ3 in the dying minutes, unable to win their third gold medal in a row. Regardless, Vietnam managed to win the third-place match against Myanmar 3âÂÂ1 and secured the bronze medal.
U-22 Vietnam took part in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games with the determination to win their fourth gold medal, having won the 2025 ASEAN U-23 Championship a few months prior under coach Kim Sang-sik. Vietnam were drawn into Group B along with Malaysia and Laos. The team started their journey with a close 2âÂÂ1 win against Laos in the opening match, followed up with a 2âÂÂ0 victory against Malaysia to top the group and qualify for the semi-finals, where they would meet the Philippines. The semi-final match went goalless for the majority of the game, but two last-minute goals secured a dramatic 2âÂÂ0 win for Vietnam and sent the team to the final. Playing against hosts Thailand, who had a dominant route to the final, Vietnam did not perform well in the first half and trailed 0âÂÂ2 by half-time. However, the Golden Star Warriors fought back hard in the second half and managed to level the score 2âÂÂ2, putting the match into extra time. Vietnam would then complete the comeback by securing a 3âÂÂ2 win at extra time, silencing the Rajamangala Stadium and winning their fourth gold medal in history. Combined with the national team's success in 2024 ASEAN Championship and the U-23 team's victory at the ASEAN U-23 Championship, 2025 became a year where Vietnam achieved dominance in ASEAN football.
Primary sponsors include: Honda, Yanmar, Grand Sport, Sony, Bia Saigon, Acecook, Coca-Cola, Vinamilk, Kao Vietnam, Herbalife Nutrition and TNI Corporation.
The following 25 players were named in the final squad for the 2026 CFA Team China Cup.
Caps and goals as of 31 March 2026 after the match against China.<br>Names in bold denote players who have been capped for the senior team.
The following players have been called up for the team within the last 12 months and are still available for selection.
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Coaches by years since 1999
Continental
Regional
Friendly tournaments
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An all-time record table of Vietnam national under-23 football team in major competitions only including; Summer Olympics, AFC U-23 Asian Cup, Asian Games, Southeast Asian Games, ASEAN U-23 Championship and some other official friendly matches.