As the World Cup kicks off, Vietnamese football is taken by surprise with Coach Popov.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup kickoff, which will capture global attention, Vietnamese football supporters have another eagerly awaited event on June 11. The two National Cup 2025/26 semi-finals are being held, with the match between Ninh Binh and The Cong Viettel being called the 'final before the final'.

Once again, all eyes turn to Coach Velizar Popov, who always creates a special intensity on any pitch he steps onto.

This season has witnessed many emotional highs and lows for the Bulgarian strategist. From emotional victories and passionate celebrations to sharp reactions against referees and organizers.

Coach Popovstill maintains his familiar image: a coach who lives and breathes the game, always wanting to win at all costs and never accepting defeat easily.

That very personality is both a strength and a reason he has often faced penalties. This season,Coach Popovhas continuously shown fierce reactions on the sidelines. The peak was a 4-match touchline ban for behaviors deemed beyond acceptable limits.

Immediately after, he drew attention again by complaining about match officiating after the clash with Cong An TP.HCM at Binh Duong stadium, even leaving open the possibility of leaving the V-League if the football environment does not improve as desired.

But precisely because of that, Coach Popov always becomes an indispensable part of big matches. He brings emotion, intensity, and pressure to all opponents. Under Popov,The Cong Viettelalways steps onto the pitch with the highest fighting spirit.

Semi-finalNational Cupthis time is certainly no exception. The opponent of The Cong Viettel is Ninh Binh, a team going through a period of brilliance under Coach Chu Dinh Nghiem.

Since this experienced manager took over, Ninh Binh has maintained an unbeaten record while showing great ambition in the title race. After finishing third in the 2025/26 V-League,Ninh Binhis facing an opportunity to win the cup and a spot in next season's international competition.

Ninh Binh's home ground promises to be a great support for Coach Chu Dinh Nghiem's team. However, The Cong Viettel is no less in terms of composure. As V-League runners-up, Coach Popov possesses quality squad and top-level experience. Their two meetings last season both ended in 1-1 draws, showing a great balance between the two sides.

It can be said that the team winning this tie will have a huge advantage towards the title. Because in terms of strength and season performance, Ninh Binh and The Cong Viettel are rated higher than the other semi-final pair between Nam Dinh and Cong An TP.HCM, teams that finished sixth and fifth respectively in the V-League.

Precisely because of its importance, the Organizing Committee has decided to invite FIFA referees from Thailand and Malaysia to officiate the two semi-finals. This move is seen as ensuring fairness, minimizing controversy, and allowing teams to focus entirely on performance.

This decision becomes even more noteworthy when one knows that on the sideline of The Cong Viettel will be Coach Popov. No one denies the professional ability of the Bulgarian strategist, but no one forgets that he is always the most vocal reactor when he feels his team is disadvantaged.