Coach Kim Sang Sik reveals 'towel strategy' to get a ticket to the 2030 World Cup

The captain of the Vietnam National Team shared interesting things, assessments and goals with Vietnamese football, in an online interview with the media of his home country, South Korea, on the morning of August 5.

Coach Kim Sang Sik made history in Vietnamese football when he became the first coach to win the AFF Cup and the U23 Southeast Asian Championship in the same year. Photo: VFF

The above conversation took place after coach Kim Sang Sik and U23 Vietnam won the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, with a 1-0 victory over U23 Indonesia in the final match, right on the opponent's field.

Coach Kim Sang Sik became the first coach to win the AFF Cup (with the Vietnamese team in January) and the U23 Southeast Asian Championship in the same year, something that even coach Park could not achieve.

'Stepping stone' goals and getting a ticket to the 2030 World Cup!

According to coach Kim Sang Sik, his achievements with the Vietnam national team and U23 Vietnam are just the 'beginning' and he still wants to achieve even more.

Besides the goal, the Korean coach also feels the pressure from the great expectations from Vietnamese football fans, because of the passion for the King sport .

Regional titles are 'stepping stones', coach Kim Sang Sik aims for big goals with Vietnam team, getting tickets to World Cup 2030

MK quotes the shares of the captain of the Vietnamese team:

“ We will continue to improve even as pressure and attention increase. We will be entering the Asian U23 qualifiers in September, then the final qualifying rounds for the 2027 Asian Cup in October and November, followed by the 33rd SEA Games (December).

Our goal ahead is for U23 Vietnam to win the 33rd SEA Games, and the Vietnamese team is determined to defend the AFF Cup title.

I can say that the strength of Vietnamese football is not inferior to other Asian countries. The number of countries participating in the World Cup has recently been increased from 32 to 48 teams.

In Southeast Asia, some countries implement a naturalization policy for the World Cup goal. If the Vietnam team tries its best, it can get a ticket to the 2030 World Cup. I will try my best to contribute to the development of Vietnamese football .

The secret to winning the army, the path to victory

When asked about the secret to success, Coach Kim Sang Sik emphasized the two words “affection” between teachers and students, team members, and the careful calculation of everything that makes up the results. He said that material gifts seem small but… powerful and it is sincere communication that connects the whole team together.

Coach Kim Sang Sik won over his players by treating them with all his heart and sincerity.

“ In Vietnam, empathy is highly valued. I always try to approach the players in a close and sincere way. For example, I would stop by the treatment room to joke around, or imitate the way Coach Park Hang Seo treats them, etc.

The players like ginseng so I brought it from Korea for them. They also like sunscreen, cosmetics,… ”.

He added: “ I always calculate everything carefully. I even calculate the time to drink water, eat, and sleep so that the players can be in the best physical condition. My careful preparation has paid off .”

Coach Kim Sang Sik also pointed out the difference when leading U23 Vietnam and the Vietnam national team: With the national team, he focuses on the motivation and dedication of the players. With the U23 team, he focuses on managing the match through tactics to maximize the abilities of his students.

Coach Kim Sang Sik's 'Towel Strategy'

Also in an online interview with Korean media, coach Kim Sang Sik's "towel tactic " was "revealed" by assistant Lee Jung Soo.

The reason why U23 Vietnam was discovered to continuously wave white towels in the final match with U23 Vietnam is this: “ The noise in the stadium was too loud so we had to think about how to give more effective instructions to the players and coach Kim Sang Sik came up with the “towel tactic”: waving the towel means telling the players to increase pressure, but if you open the towel, it means maintaining a balanced attack and defense .”

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-bat-mi-chien-thuat-khan-tam-lay-ve-world-cup-2030-2429222.html