HANOI (2 March 2019) – Vietnam have targeted the men’s SEA Games gold medal as their aim this year as the newly crowned ASEAN champions look to add the illustrious gold to their collection.
Vietnam had never won the gold medal of the men’s football event at the SEA Games before although they did pick up the first gold medal in the inaugural event in 1959 as South Vietnam.
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngọc Thien had set the gold medal target during recent visit to the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) office.
“Our men’s football team have never won the SEA Games. I set a target of a gold medal at the 30th event. There is no looking back. We have to go forward. We need plans to make it happen. Now it is time for Vietnam to secure a turning point,” said Ngoc Thien.
Vietnam had been in the final five times previously – 1995, 1999, 2003, 2005 and also 2009.
The VFF had recently appointed Lee Young-jin as the head coach of the Vietnam Under-22 team.
He will be selecting players from the squad that finished third at the recent The team will select the top players from the U22 squad who won the bronze medal from the ASEAN championship which ended on Tuesday in Cambodia.
The 30th Games in the Philippines will be held on 30 November to 11 December 2019.
