Coach Kim has led the Vietnam U23 team in the Southeast Asian tournament, SEA Games 33, and the AFC U23 Asian Cup.

At the Southeast Asian tournament in July 2025 in Indonesia, Vietnam defeated the host 1-0 in the final, thanks to midfielder Nguyen Cong Phuong. At SEA Games 33, the team continued its success, coming from behind to beat host Thailand 3-2 in the final on the evening of 18/12/2025. On the evening of 12/1, Kim's squad further triumphed over host Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the final match of Group A at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026, leading to their elimination.

Coach Kim Sang-sik greets the audience after Vietnam's victory against Saudi Arabia, at Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia, during the final Group A match of the AFC U23 Asian Cup on the evening of 12/1/2026. Photo: AFC

Including matches with the national team at the ASEAN Cup 2024, Kim's squad also overcame host Singapore 2-0 in the first leg of the semi-finals, and defeated host Thailand 3-2 in the second leg of the final. In total, he has steered his teams to five consecutive wins against host nations in various tournaments.

The 1-0 victory against Saudi Arabia on the evening of 12/1 marked coach Kim's 14th official match with the U23 team. The 49-year-old coach boasts a 100% win rate, despite facing formidable regional teams like Thailand and Indonesia, as well as continental powerhouses such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia. This represents the longest winning streak for the U23 team in its history.

Including friendly matches, coach Kim has directly overseen the U23 team for a total of 20 games, achieving an 80% win rate, with 16 victories, three draws, and one loss.

Coach Kim also guided Vietnam to become the first Southeast Asian team to achieve a perfect group stage record at the AFC U23 Asian Cup. The team consecutively defeated Jordan 2-0, Kyrgyzstan 2-1, and Saudi Arabia 1-0, securing 9 points to top Group A. They are set to face Syria or UAE in the quarterfinals.

Main developments of Vietnam's 1-0 victory against Saudi Arabia at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026.

Coach Kim was appointed by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to lead both the national team and the U23 team in May 2024, succeeding Philippe Troussier. He is a former protege of coach Park Hang-seo, and the two share a good relationship. Coach Park even gifted coach Kim a black ring as a lucky charm, which coach Kim has worn in every match for both the national team and the U23 squad.

Similar to coach Park's tenure, coach Kim has instilled a disciplined playing style in the team. Moreover, the Vietnam U23 team has sometimes managed to control possession and alleviate pressure against stronger opponents, rather than merely defending staunchly. In both matches against West Asian adversaries at the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026, the team scored three goals and conceded none, despite Jordan and Saudi Arabia fielding players who have already qualified for the 2026 World Cup with their respective national teams.

Xuan Binh