Opening Ceremony of the AFC/VFF Goalkeeping ‘A’ Diploma Coaching Course in Da Nang
**English translation:**
On the morning of 24 December 2025, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), in coordination with the National Defence Sports Centre 3, held the opening ceremony of the AFC/VFF Goalkeeping ‘A’ Diploma Coaching Course, taking place from 24 to 28 December 2025 in Da Nang City.
26/12/2025 10:24:35
This course follows immediately after the AFC/VFF Goalkeeping ‘B’ Licence Coaching Course, which concluded on 22 December 2025 and was also held at the National Defence Sports Centre 3, demonstrating the continuity and systematic approach of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) in the education and development of goalkeeper coaches.
The course is delivered directly by Mr. Kato Yoshio, a FIFA/AFC/JFA Instructor. Mr. Kato is a leading expert in goalkeeper coaching, having been appointed by FIFA and the AFC to conduct more than 50 courses, while also teaching numerous domestic programs in Japan. He is a co-founder of the Japan Goalkeeper Project, has previously played and coached Japanese goalkeepers at the FIFA World Cup, and was also the instructor who trained Vietnam’s first AFC Goalkeeping ‘A’ Licence coaches.
Supporting the course are two Vietnamese assistant instructors, Coach Nguyen The Anh and Coach Chau Tri Cuong. The program includes theoretical assessments, on-field practical sessions, as well as mandatory homework assignments between phases as assigned by the instructor. The entire curriculum is delivered by Mr. Kato Yoshio in accordance with the goalkeeper coaching program agreed upon by the Japan Football Association (JFA) and currently applied to goalkeeper coaches in Japan.
This is the second AFC Goalkeeping ‘A’ Licence coaching course to be held in Vietnam, once again led by Mr. Kato Yoshio. Upon completion of the course, Vietnamese football will gain an additional 12 Vietnamese goalkeeper coaches holding the AFC ‘A’ Licence. In addition, thanks to the strong reputation in organization, the course also features the participation of two foreign coaches: Coach Badir Valdir (Brazil, Công An Hà Nội FC) and Coach Johann Noetzel (USA, Bangkok FC – Thailand).
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Kato Yoshio expressed his delight at returning to Vietnam to teach the GK ‘A’ course for the second time, and extended his thanks for the approval and cooperation of the AFC, VFF and JFA, as well as the support from the Vietnam Football Federation, the VFF Training Department, and the National Defence Sports Centre 3. He encouraged the participants to make strong efforts and maintain high levels of focus in order to achieve the best possible outcomes from this course.
Representing the host organization, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Sinh, Director of the National Defence Sports Centre 3, stated that this was the third time the Centre had coordinated with the VFF to organize training courses. He affirmed that the Centre would always provide the best possible facilities and maximum support for all training activities of the Federation, contributing to the improvement of the quality of football human resources in Vietnam.
On behalf of the assistant instructors, Coach Nguyen The Anh expressed his gratitude to the Japan Football Association, the Vietnam Football Federation, and the National Defence Sports Centre 3. He emphasized that the number of goalkeeper coaching courses in Vietnam remains limited at present, and expressed his hope that in the future, a core group of instructors will emerge from among the participants of this course, who will continue to share knowledge and further develop the domestic goalkeeper coach education system.
Representing the participants, Mr. Nguyen Duc Canh, Class Monitor, affirmed that all 14 participants are committed and making every effort to absorb the knowledge delivered by the instructor, viewing the course as essential preparation to be effectively applied in coaching work at their clubs, thereby contributing to the development of high-quality goalkeepers for Vietnamese football in the coming period.
