Coach Kim Sang-sik and U23 Vietnam team return home with AFF U23 Championship trophy

Coach Kim Sang-sik and his players arrived back in Vietnam on the evening of 30/7, a day after defeating Indonesia to win the 2025 AFF U23 Championship.

Captain Van Khang takes a photo with a female fan from Binh Duong.

Midfielder Nguyen Van Truong was also popular with fans. He reiterated, "Despite playing under pressure from 35,000 Indonesian fans, we weren't afraid, but very confident. The result proved that".

The U23 Vietnam team departed Jakarta, Indonesia, around 11 a.m. Tuesday.

In contrast to the pressure on the field, the team was greeted by Indonesian fans at the airport, who even asked for photos.

After arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, some players stayed while others continued on to Hanoi. Center-back Pham Ly Duc (pictured) boarded a bus to visit his family in Tay Ninh.

Captain Khuat Van Khang (first photo) and forward Nguyen Dinh Bac took turns holding the trophy. Both were key players in Vietnam's success.

Van Khang controlled the midfield, scoring one goal and providing one assist. Bac scored two goals and provided one assist, earning him the tournament's Most Valuable Player award.

After a three-hour flight and an hour of immigration procedures, Coach Kim, captain Van Khang, and the players arrived at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City around 6 p.m. to greet the media and fans.

Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) Vice President Nguyen Xuan Vu welcomed the team and presented them with flowers at the airport.

Coach Kim and the players were welcomed by the media.

The South Korean coach expressed his pride in the team's achievement. "The players gave their all to win the championship. I thank everyone," he said.

Forward Nguyen Dinh Bac signed autographs and posed for photos with two young fans.

According to VnExpress, there weren't many fans at the airport to welcome Coach Kim and his team, possibly because it was a workday.

Despite nearly a full day of travel, Coach Kim remained energetic, happily taking photos and signing autographs for fans all the way to the parking lot.

Coach Kim believes the players learned a lot from the tournament. "The players have gained valuable experience that will help them develop and improve in the future. This experience will be beneficial for upcoming tournaments like the Asian Qualifiers and the SEA Games, helping the players achieve positive results," Kim shared.

Goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien is surrounded by female fans.

The Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) talent started all four matches, conceding only two goals. He performed particularly well in the final against Indonesia, demonstrating solid and decisive goalkeeping.