Following Viet Nam’s remarkable comeback victory over the UAE to reach the quarter-finals of the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 and secure a ticket to the FIFA U17 World Cup, Thai media outlets and football fans have once again expressed admiration, with many also drawing comparisons with Thai football and reflecting on lessons to be learned.
The Thai Youth Football fanpage published an article stressing that Viet Nam make history. The piece praised the Vietnamese “golden star warriors” for displaying extraordinary fighting spirit in overturning the match to defeat the UAE 3–2, thereby topping Group C for the first time and earning a place at the U17 World Cup in Qatar later this year.
According to the article, Viet Nam’s achievement has attracted widespread praise across ASEAN for the country’s strong and consistent youth development system. By contrast, Thailand’s national side suffered a disappointing early exit from the tournament without securing a single point. The author argued that while Thai youngsters possess impressive individual ability, their development appears increasingly overshadowed by image-building and glamorous promotional activities, hindering sustainable progress.
The commentary went on to state that Viet Nam had demonstrated how discipline and a clearly defined playing philosophy could elevate a team to world-class level. It suggested that Thai football authorities should stop creating images and instead focus on building foundations in order to prevent further stagnation among young players. The article concluded that Viet Nam’s triumph was no coincidence, but rather “a powerful mirror” reflecting the reality that unless Thai football changes its mindset, the dream of qualifying for a World Cup will remain distant.
Other popular Thai football fanpages, including Tangmoplay Piyapongshoot, Mr. AEC Football and Ballthai, also praised Viet Nam for making history as the only ASEAN representative to qualify for the World Cup, even finishing above the Republic of Korea to top the group.
Meanwhile, the page Think Curve – Thinking Outside the Box reported that the Vietnamese squad finished with six points from two victories and one defeat. In the decisive match on May 14, the team overcame the UAE 3–2 in what it described as a highly impressive result.
The posts generated significant engagement and lively discussion among Thai football supporters. Most comments congratulated the team and Vietnamese football more broadly, while also contrasting the achievement with what many described as Thailand’s comparatively underwhelming performances in recent years.
