The World Cup race is approaching, and the Vietnamese team faces an unbelievable challenge.

With just a few days separating the regional semifinals and the Asian group stage, Vietnam U17 is forced to sustain peak performance if they aim to achieve their World Cup objective.

Vietnam U17 is entering the peak phase of the season with an unprecedented density of matches. Immediately after the Southeast Asian U17 tournament concludes on April 24, Coach Roland's squad will continue their journey at the Asian U17 Championship starting early May, creating a consecutive series of matches full of pressure both physically and tactically.

In the regional tournament, five teams earned qualification for the Asian U17 Championship: Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Australia, and Vietnam U17. However, only Vietnam U17 and Australia U17 remain in the knockout stage. This forces both teams to compete at the highest frequency, and it also presents a major endurance test ahead of the crucial goal: competing for a World Cup ticket.

In the Southeast Asian U17 semifinal on April 22, Vietnam U17 will clash with Australia U17. If victorious, the team will advance to the final against the winner of Laos vs Malaysia. Conversely, if defeated, Coach Roland's team will compete for third place against the loser of the other match. Both the final and the third-place match take place on April 24.

Overall, Vietnam U17 and Australia U17 will have to play 5 matches within just 11 days, averaging 2.2 days per match. This is the highest match density among Southeast Asian teams participating in the Asian tournament, posing extreme demands on squad rotation and physical condition maintenance.

Right after that, Vietnam U17 enters the Asian U17 group stage from May 7 to May 14, facing Yemen, South Korea, and UAE successively. Within 7 days, the team must play 3 matches at an average frequency of 2.33 days per match, continuing as a major challenge for their physical foundation and recovery ability.

The 2026 Asian U17 Championship holds special significance as it serves as the World Cup U17 qualifying round. The eight teams advancing to the quarter-finals will secure tickets to the planet's largest youth football festival. Therefore, Vietnam U17's goal is to reach the top eight, despite the harsh schedule.

Previously, Vietnam U23 experienced a similar situation when playing consecutively between SEA Games 33 and the Asian U23 Finals. Coach Kim Sang Sik's squad accomplished their task well. With thorough preparation, Vietnam U17 is expected to replicate that success, overcoming the physical challenge to reach the major goal.