French veteran tactician Philippe Troussier has been frequently mentioned in the media in recent weeks. Not only did he spend extended periods working in Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese football — where three of the four semifinalists of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2025 are based — he is also widely credited with discovering many of the bright young talents now starring for Vietnam’s U23 team.
Speaking to China’s Sohu, Coach Philippe Troussier said that the unpredictability of football was what made the sport so fascinating. He believed that the upcoming semifinal would be a 50-50 contest for both Vietnam’s U23 and China’s U23. He noted that although China’s U23 had performed impressively throughout the tournament, Vietnam’s U23 had also advanced to the semifinals with a perfect record, which, he stressed, demonstrated just how formidable and competitive the Vietnamese side was.
During his tenure coaching Vietnam’s senior national team and the U23 squad, Coach Philippe Troussier unearthed many of the current core players. At the time, he boldly handed regular playing roles, including in the senior national team, to Nguyen Dinh Bac, Khuat Van Khang, Nguyen Thai Son, and Nguyen Thanh Nhan. Those opportunities fast-tracked their development and allowed them to gain valuable match experience at the highest level.
Coach Philippe Troussier recalled that two years earlier, he had taken a calculated risk by handing Nguyen Dinh Bac his debut at just 19, paving the way for the youngster to shine in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and at the Asian Cup 2023, thereby demonstrating his exceptional potential. He said that Dinh Bac had since matured and become a key figure for Vietnam’s U23.
Assessing the playing styles of both Vietnam and China, the French coach said that Vietnam’s U23 tended to favor a possession-based approach built on refined passing and fluid movement to control the tempo. He added that China’s U23 would need to show greater flexibility in both attack and defense to cope with Vietnam’s pace and cohesion.
He also highlighted a key vulnerability in the Vietnamese side — aerial duels — noting their two goals conceded against the UAE in the quarterfinals as an illustration.
Mental composure, he stressed, is currently Vietnam’s greatest advantage. "For Vietnam, facing China is more comfortable than going head-to-head with Uzbekistan. Conversely, for China, meeting Vietnam is also more manageable than playing the UAE," Coach Philippe Troussier concluded.
