Vietnamese football does not choose to do things like Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) maintains the stance of not mass naturalizing players to achieve quick success. Instead, it will persistently develop the youth training system and national professional football tournaments to create a foundation for the national team.

VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan speaks at a meeting with sports journalists to celebrate Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day June 21 - Photo: MINH DUC

On the afternoon of June 17 in Hanoi , the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) held a meeting with sports journalists to celebrate Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day, June 21.

The meeting was attended by VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan, VFF Vice President Tran Anh Tu, VFF General Secretary Nguyen Van Phu and more than 50 journalists and sports reporters from the Northern region.

During the meeting, Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan shared about the plan to create a foundation and develop achievements for the Vietnamese teams in the coming years. Specifically, the men's and women's football teams from U16 to U23 are planning to train in Japan and European countries.

"Investing and carefully preparing youth teams is considered key to creating a solid foundation for the future development of Vietnamese football.

Besides the success, VFF also realizes that there are many challenges and higher requirements in the modern football situation, requiring investment, organization and scientific and professional management," said Mr. Tuan.

Responding to Tuoi Tre Online's question, what is VFF's opinion on the massive naturalization of the Malaysian and Indonesian teams?

Mr. Tran Quoc Tuan said: "We have anticipated the difficulties when national teams in the region use many naturalized players. This is not a new trend. However, to do this, we need to take the right steps, suitable to the culture in each country.

Mass naturalization of players may help strengthen the national team for a while. But the consequence is that the domestic tournament system may weaken, and affect the training of young players, maintaining the identity of that national team.

Playing football requires patience. VFF will persevere with the path of developing football from internal strength, calculating and supplementing necessary elements. We need even development for the national team and the system of professional clubs. Vietnamese football needs sustainable development, preserving and promoting its identity."

In the next two matches in Group F of the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup, the Vietnamese team will play Nepal on October 9 (home) and October 14 (away).

Naturalized athletes should only be pieces of the national team.

The massive naturalization of players by national football teams in the region is causing many difficulties and challenges for Vietnamese football. However, the sustainable path to developing professional football must still come from the internal strength of the football industry.

It is based on youth football training and the development of an increasingly professional national football tournament system. That is the basis for building strong national teams. Naturalization, in the view of VFF leaders and the sports industry, is certainly just a piece of the puzzle for the teams.

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HOANG TUNG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bong-da-viet-nam-khong-chon-cach-lam-nhu-malaysia-indonesia-20250617160036472.htm