U20 Vietnam loses to North Korea: Not a disaster, but a wake-up call for an entire system

I still remember the last afternoon in Japan. U20 Vietnam finished their 10-day training camp, but I saw coach Ikeuchi frowning as he looked at the squad list. Because right after that, 13 new players were added. They came from different clubs, never trained together. When I asked an assistant about their integration, he just stayed silent. That was the first sign. The match against North Korea took place at Viet Tri Stadium. In the first half, U20 Vietnam played organized, not giving the opponent much space. I noted: the first 45 minutes, the game was balanced. But coming out for the second half, everything changed. Three goals conceded in 13 minutes, and I saw panic in the eyes of the young players. They didn't know what to do when trailing. And the question arises: why did a team that was invested in like this collapse so quickly? U20 Vietnam is playing in the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, Group C, as hosts. The first opponent was North Korea – a mysterious team to many, but not to me. I followed the U17 North Korea cohort at the 2026 U17 World Cup. They drew with Germany 1-1 in the group stage, an unbelievable result for Asian youth football. In the round of 16, they drew with Japan 1-1, and only lost on penalties. That squad, under coach O Thae Song, is largely the core of the current U20 North Korea. They have stability, high-level experience, and a tactical system that has been running for years. In contrast, U20 Vietnam under Japanese coach Yutaka Ikeuchi only had one week of preparation with the final squad. Out of 23 players, 13 new players were added after the Japan training camp. Six of them started against North Korea. And Dinh Quang Kiet – the only player who has ever played for the senior national team – only had 1-2 training sessions with the team before the match. The lack of cohesion was foretold, but no one expected it to lead to such a heavy defeat. The 0-3 loss was not due to tactical mistakes. In the first half, U20 Vietnam showed they could stand firm against a strong opponent. The problem lies in psychology and lack of experience. Coach Ikeuchi said after the match: "The players were anxious, pushed the formation forward, and lost balance." This is a symptom of a team without a real leader on the pitch, and unaccustomed to being pressured. I watched the replay. The first goal came from a midfield turnover, when a young player tried to pass sideways instead of clearing the ball up the line. It was a naive decision, the kind of decision from a player who rarely plays. The second and third goals followed as an inevitable consequence. But the deeper problem lies in the squad list. I checked the playing minutes of U20 Vietnam players at their clubs this season. The result: only three players have significant playing time – Dinh Quang Kiet (Hoang Anh Gia Lai), Tran Gia Bao (Hoang Anh Gia Lai), and Nguyen Le Phat (Ninh Binh). The remaining names, including captain Nguyen Quoc Khanh (Ninh Binh), hardly ever play in V-League or First Division. They are young talents, but they have never experienced the pressure of a real professional match. Mbappé taught me one thing: it's good to look at speed, but it's better to look at direction. Here, the direction of Vietnamese youth football is going wrong. We have good players at U15, U17 levels, but when they reach U20, they don't get regular playing time at clubs. Clubs still prioritize immediate results, using foreign players and experienced players instead of giving opportunities to the U20 generation. The consequence is that the national youth team has to suffer. Coach Ikeuchi said: "Lack of high-intensity competitive experience at club level is a factor that cannot be fixed in a short time." That statement is a painful confession of the reality. There is no way for a young player to gain match composure if he only sits on the bench. And when they all step onto the continental stage together, the gap in "match feel" is too large. North Korea has played at the World Cup, they know how to manage a game. As for us, we are still learning how to stand firm. Many will call this defeat a disaster, a failure of coach Ikeuchi. Some will blame the VFF for not preparing well. But I believe this is a necessary wake-up call. It exposes a structural problem that we have known for a long time but dared not face: Vietnam's youth training system is producing good players at U15, U17 levels, but lacks a bridge to the first team. Our U20 players don't play regularly, don't get to forge their match composure. When they step onto the continental stage, they are like warriors who have never held a sword. Writing for the forgotten is reminding them that I have never stopped looking. Here, the forgotten are the young players, trapped between the desire to contribute and the reality of lack of opportunity. They are not failures. They are victims of an incomplete system. This defeat, though painful, could be a catalyst for the VFF and clubs to sit down together and find a solution. If not, the next generations will continue to repeat the script: young talent, but inexperienced, and failure at important tournaments. U20 Vietnam still has two matches against Palestine and Iran. Mathematically, the chance to advance is still there. But in terms of development, a bigger question awaits: Will we dare to change how we do youth football, or will we continue to blame a Japanese coach and 20-year-old players? I will follow, and I will write. Because, as I always say: "An empty stand doesn't mean no one is listening."