Hot Vietnamese football news today 11/8: Vietnam national team gains FIFA points; Quang Hai focuses on training for Malaysia match

Hot Vietnamese football news today 11/8: Vietnam national team gets FIFA points; Quang Hai puts all efforts into training for Malaysia clash

Vietnam national team receives FIFA points

Vietnam national team remains in the world top 100, while Thailand has made significant progress on the FIFA rankings after matches in the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

According to the live FIFA rankings update, the Vietnam national team currently has 1,230.67 points, up 3.47 points from before the tournament, and still ranks 99th in the world.

In the group stage, coach Kim Sang Sik's squad earned 0.9 points after the win over Timor Leste, but lost 0.77 points against Singapore. The remaining two matches helped Vietnam accumulate additional points, including 2.18 points against Indonesia and 1.17 points against Cambodia.

Thailand is the standout Southeast Asian team making progress. With a perfect record of four wins in the group stage, the "Land of Golden Pagoda" team gained 5.94 points. According to the live rankings update, Thailand rose four places, from 94th to 90th in the world.

If they maintain this ranking when FIFA releases the official standings, it will be the highest position for the Thailand national team since March 2008.

HAGL plays against a team coached by Park Hang Seo

HAGL Club departed for Thailand on August 11, beginning an 11-day training camp to prepare for the 2026/27 season.

The mountain town team brought 40 members and is scheduled to play five friendly matches against clubs currently competing in Thai League 1 and Thai League 2. HAGL will face Suphanburi on August 12, Kanchanaburi on August 14, Ratchaburi on August 15, Uthai Thani on August 18, and Pattani on August 19.

Most notably is the clash with Kanchanaburi, a team led by coach Park Hang Seo. This will be an opportunity for HAGL to test themselves against the team of the former Vietnam national team head coach.

The training camp also helps coach Le Quang Trai and technical director Vu Tien Thanh assess the squad after changes in foreign players. HAGL has parted ways with four foreign players and added three new Brazilian recruits: Robson Ries, Wendel Jr, and Luann Augusto.

This is the third consecutive season that HAGL has chosen Thailand as their training location before entering the V-League.

Quang Hai focuses on training to face Malaysia

Midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai continues to show a relaxed attitude on the training ground of the Vietnam national team, despite criticism about his performance in the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

Quang Hai received a lot of attention during the training session preparing for the first leg of the semi-final against Malaysia. The 1997-born midfielder often joked with his teammates and seemed unaffected by reactions on social media.

At the 2026 ASEAN Cup, Quang Hai has not yet reached the expected form and has only scored one goal, in the match against Timor Leste. However, he recently set a memorable milestone in the Vietnam national team shirt. After coming on as a substitute in the win over Cambodia in the final group stage match, Quang Hai made his 84th appearance for the national team, surpassing the previous record held by Le Cong Vinh.

The Vietnam national team finished the group stage unbeaten, winning three and drawing one to top Group A.

Coach Kim Sang Sik's squad continues training in Hanoi before traveling to Kuala Lumpur to prepare for the first leg of the 2026 ASEAN Cup semi-final against Malaysia on August 16.

Hung Yen FC signs striker from Trinidad & Tobago

Hung Yen FC officially announced the signing of winger Joseph Khalio, thereby strengthening the squad for the 2026/27 season.

Joseph Khalio, born in 1999, holds Trinidad & Tobago nationality, stands 1.86 m tall, and specializes in playing as a left winger. The player stands out with his physical advantage, wide range of movement, and speed in attacking situations down the flank.

Before joining Hung Yen FC, Khalio had experience playing in Vietnam. In the previous season, the 1999-born striker played for Tre PVF-CAND Club in the National First Division. This period helped Khalio get used to the playing environment, football style, and opponents in Vietnam.

In his career, Khalio has represented the U20 and U21 youth teams of Trinidad & Tobago before spending time playing in Vietnam.

The arrival of Joseph Khalio gives Hung Yen FC an additional option in attack, especially on the left flank. With his physique and speed, the 27-year-old striker is expected to add more variety to the team's play in the 2026/27 season.