Football Vietnam in crisis: urgent need for action after defeats!
Celle highlights the challenges and developments in Vietnamese football, including the new player quota in the V-League and national team strategies.

Football Vietnam in crisis: urgent need for action after defeats!
The current challenges in Vietnamese football are not only affecting the mood, but also the team's performance. Vietnam was recently beaten 3-0 by both Malaysia and Indonesia in the World Cup qualifiers. These defeats, like vietnam.vn reports clearly show that Vietnamese football has fallen behind in regional competition. This situation is made even worse by the many freshly naturalized talents among the competitors. While these players are quickly being integrated as full members of their new teams, Vietnam is lagging behind.
Another sign of the need for action is the looming discrepancy between the performance development of national teams and the increased success of European clubs, as shown by players like Dang Van Lam and Filip Nguyen. These talents, who also play abroad, could bring valuable support to the domestic league and the national team. But the V-League stands in contrast to foreign players, access remains difficult because many clubs do not have the necessary budget to sign international stars.
The new regulations in the V-League
Looking for solutions, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has decided to increase the quota for foreign-Vietnamese players in the V-League. From the 2024/25 season, teams will now have the option to register two foreign Vietnamese players instead of just one. This doubles the number of players without Vietnamese citizenship in the league from 14 to up to 28, like vietnamnet.vn determines.
This regulation applies not only to men's football, but also to futsal and the national women's championship. The goal? Improve the quality of the domestic leagues and thus increase the selection options for the national team. The integration processes of these players often went smoothly and the VFF expressed its willingness to welcome the talents from the Vietnamese diaspora.
The historical perspective
But where does Vietnamese football come from and how has the national team developed over the years? The history of football in Vietnam began after colonization by France, but experienced severe setbacks due to wars and conflicts. Two separate national teams emerged during the Vietnam War. The North Vietnamese team was less active, while the South Vietnamese was at times more successful, white wikipedia.de.
However, there are no long-term successes. Despite notable progress, such as reaching the quarter-finals of the 2007 Asian Cup and winning the 2008 ASEAN Championship, the Vietnamese have so far failed to qualify for a World Cup. Currently, the focus must be on developing young talent in order to reduce the gap in regional comparison.
Given these challenges, it is clear that a strategic approach is required to mobilize the necessary resources and sustainably promote the development of football in Vietnam. The upcoming reforms must also involve the commitment of clubs, players and coaches in order to finally leverage the pent-up potential.