Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng meets and congratulates the Vietnam U-17 men’s football team

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng met with and congratulated the Vietnam U-17 men’s football team – Photo: VGP/Nhật Bắc

Attending the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Thị Thanh Trà, Minister and Chairman of the Government Office Đặng Xuân Phong, along with leaders of various ministries and agencies.

The Prime Minister presented a Certificate of Merit to the national U-17 men’s football team. In the joyful atmosphere of the nationwide celebration of the 51st anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the reunification of the country on April 30, as well as International Labor Day on May 1, Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng warmly congratulated the team’s exceptional achievement, which also honors Vietnamese sports.

According to the Prime Minister, the U-17 ASEAN Championship victory of the team was created through a special and compelling journey — an undefeated, winning streak characterized by resilience, determination, and a desire to conquer, with 4 wins, 1 draw, and 19 goals scored.

“This confirms that Vietnamese youth football today not only knows how to play but also knows how to control the match and has achieved the championship victory,” the Prime Minister stated.

The Prime Minister assessed that this achievement is the result of a long process of accumulation, training, effort, and perseverance by generations of players and coaches; the care and support of their families; the love and companionship of fans across the country; the passion for football of the Vietnamese people; as well as the active involvement of various levels and sectors, especially the culture, sports, and tourism sectors, which have paid great attention and created favorable conditions for generations of players, particularly the young players, to train, mature, and achieve outstanding results.

According to the Prime Minister, this significant victory is not only a source of joy for Vietnamese sports but also a profound message about the Vietnamese people in this new development phase: resilient, aspirational, confident, disciplined, and united. The Prime Minister is confident that the team will continue to maintain their faith and spirit, striving for greater victories that are worthy of the trust and love of fans and the people nationwide.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the ASEAN championship victory is a proud achievement and a very promising beginning, but it is not the final destination. The team must continue to strive and make greater efforts in the future, serving as a stepping stone toward higher goals and bigger aspirations for Vietnamese football—to reach the Asian level and gradually affirm its position on the global football map.

The team will participate in the U-17 Asian Cup, which also serves as the U-17 World Cup qualifier at the end of 2026. The Prime Minister hopes that the coaching staff and players will continue to train with higher standards, maintain the spirit of victory, compete with the highest determination, and uphold sportsmanship, honesty, and a noble competitive spirit.

The Prime Minister proposed that the Vietnam Football Federation and relevant organizations continue to innovate and improve the youth training system, moving towards a professional, modern, focused approach. Especially, they should expand international cooperation in sports in general and in football in particular.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with other relevant ministries, agencies, and local authorities, should continue to study, review, and refine policies to invest in infrastructure, equipment, training conditions, and to enhance the application of science and technology, sports medicine to serve national teams, including football. There should be mechanisms to nurture and attract talents, and a comprehensive strategy to develop Vietnamese sports in general and Vietnamese football in particular—approaching development in a methodical, scientific, modern, professional manner with a distinct identity. The goal is to develop sports not only to win titles but also to enhance national prestige and elevate the country’s position. These are very high requirements for the sports sector in this new phase of development.

The representatives of the Vietnam U-17 men’s football team presented a team jersey to Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng – Photo: VGP/Nhật Bắc

According to the Prime Minister, from today’s victorious journey, we see that the younger generation of Vietnam has gained the resilience to win, the wisdom, and the aspiration to reach further and conquer new heights. The most important thing is that each young athlete of the U-17 team must always maintain their faith, desire to win, motivation, and spirit in order to overcome limits, achieve higher standards, results, and accomplishments, and conquer new peaks in the coming future.

The government, the Prime Minister, ministries, sectors, and all levels will always accompany and create the best conditions for the vigorous, professional, and modern development of Vietnamese sports and football, contributing to enhancing Vietnam’s position on the international stage.

The representatives of the Vietnam U-17 men’s football team presented a football to Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng – Photo: VGP/Nhật Bắc

Speaking at the event, Head Coach Cristiano Roland of the U-17 team, on behalf of the coaching staff and all the players, expressed pride and emotion for being received and congratulated by the Prime Minister. He sincerely thanked the leadership of the Party and State for their care and encouragement, the support from various levels and sectors, and the affection of fans for Vietnamese football in general and youth football in particular. This is a great motivation for the young players to continue their efforts, training, and developing further in the future.

He stated that a more important goal for the team is the upcoming U-17 Asian Cup 2026; this is a highly competitive tournament and also an opportunity for teams to vie for a spot in the U-17 World Cup. In the coming period, the entire team will continue to focus maximum effort on preparation, improve technical skills, and refine playing styles; striving hard to perform well on the continental stage and deserve the trust of Party leaders, the State, and fans.