New era for Vietnam's national team: No more defensive counter-attacks?

The influx of many naturalized players and talented Vietnamese expatriates is giving Kim Sang-sik a chance to overhaul the Vietnam national team's identity, moving away from its traditional defensive counter-attack toward a bold, dominant offensive style for the 2026 ASEAN Championship.

The Vietnam national team is currently facing one of its most significant transitional periods since the successful era under Coach Park Hang-seo. With the increasing number of naturalized players and high-quality overseas Vietnamese, the 2026 ASEAN Championship could become a milestone that marks a major shift in the team's operational approach.

For nearly a decade, the defensive counter-attacking style has been the trademark of Vietnamese football. Thanks to a tight defense and efficient chance-taking, the Vietnam national team has achieved a series of successes at regional and continental levels. However, recent signals indicate that Coach Kim Sang-sik may be heading toward an entirely different direction..

In matches of both the senior national team and U23 Vietnam, the South Korean tactician has repeatedly experimented with a more proactive approach. Instead of dropping deep and waiting for counter-attacking chances, his teams have started to push up the defensive line, press intensely, and maintain greater ball possession. This is viewed as preparation for a tactical revolution in the near future.

More importantly, Coach Kim Sang-sik now has the personnel to realize that ambition. The inclusion of Nguyễn Xuân Son, Đỗ Hoàng Hên, and Nguyễn Tài Lộc has significantly upgraded Vietnam's attack. While Xuân Son is a center-forward capable of operating independently and creating breakthroughs in the box, Hoàng Hên and Tài Lộc bring creativity, playmaking, and rhythm control.

Furthermore, the strong return of Nguyễn Quang Hải combined with the consistent form of Nguyễn Hoàng Đức has made Vietnam's midfield more combative than ever. With these factors, the team has solid grounds to aim for a possession-based and dominant attacking style against regional opponents.

However, this change also stems from another reality. The defense line, once the pride of Vietnamese football, is showing worrying signs. The decline in form of some key players, along with long-term injuries, has prevented the defensive system from maintaining its previous solidity.

In that context, the "attack to compensate for defense" approach may well be considered by Kim Sang-sik. Instead of requiring attacking stars to frequently drop deep and support defense, the South Korean coach can maximize the strength of the front line to apply relentless pressure on opponents.

Of course, the 2026 ASEAN Championship is still ahead, and all assessments are merely predictions at this point. However, given what is happening, fans have the right to expect a more attacking, more proactive Vietnam national team ready to create an entirely new image. Therefore, the 2026 ASEAN Championship could be the tournament that closes the era of defensive counter-attacks and opens a bold new chapter for Vietnamese football.