Coach Cristiano Roland leads Vietnam U17 team to Southeast Asian tournament

Brazilian-born coach Cristiano Roland continues to be entrusted with leading the Vietnam U17 national team.

According to information from the Vietnam Football Federation, in preparation for the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship, the Vietnam U17 team has regrouped and officially commenced training on April 1 at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center. This is a crucial phase to finalize the squad and assess technical aspects before entering the regional competition.

During this training camp, head coach Cristiano Roland continues to rely on the core squad that performed impressively in the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers. With a record of 5 wins, scoring 30 goals and conceding none, Vietnam U17 excellently secured top position in Group C, thereby earning a ticket to the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup Finals.

Alongside the key players, the training camp roster also notes the return of several notable figures such as Dau Quang Hung, Nguyen Le Quang Khoi, and Tran Ngoc Son. Among them, Quang Hung previously participated in the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup Finals, while Ngoc Son and Quang Khoi gained international experience by competing in the 2025 CFA Team China U16 international tournament.

Additionally, the Vietnam U17 team welcomes new additions including Vu Duc Huy (Hanoi Police Club), Phung Quang Danh (Viettel Army), and Ta Dinh Phong (SHB Da Nang), contributing to increasing the squad's depth.

Coach Cristiano Roland and his team will maintain training at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center until April 10, before departing to Indonesia to participate in the tournament.

In the group stage, Vietnam U17 is placed in Group A alongside host Indonesia, Malaysia, and Timor-Leste. The presence of two familiar rivals, Indonesia and Malaysia, predicts a highly competitive and unpredictable group dynamic. U17 Indonesia benefits from home advantage, while U17 Malaysia is always a direct competitor in the race for a semifinal spot.

In the other groups, Group B consists of Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, and Philippines; Group C includes Australia, Cambodia, Singapore, and Brunei. Teams will play a single round-robin format to determine rankings.

The top three teams from each group and the best-performing runner-up will qualify for the semifinals, meaning each match carries decisive significance.

According to the schedule, the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship will take place from April 11 to 23, 2026 in Indonesia, at Gelora Joko Samudro Stadium (Gresik) and Gelora Delta Stadium (Sidoarjo). Vietnam U17 will debut against Malaysia U17 on April 13.

Not only a regional competition, the tournament also serves as a crucial preparatory step towards the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup Finals, scheduled for May in Saudi Arabia. This will be an opportunity for the coaching staff to further refine the squad, test personnel, and help young players accumulate more international match experience.

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