Report by our staff, July 23rd afternoon - The draw for the Nagoya Asian Games football tournament was announced, placing the U23 national team in Group B alongside the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and North Korea. Apart from avoiding same-tier teams like Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, this draw is considered average, with many even labeling it a "group of death." However, for the U23 national team, as the runners-up of the U23 Asian Cup, their objective stays the same regardless of the opponents.

Written by Han Bing. On July 22, the 2026 CSL summer transfer window shut. Compared to last year, it was even quieter: the number of new foreign signings plummeted from 11 to 5, new foreign player investment dropped by two-thirds, and total investment fell by over 60%. Of the 16 CSL clubs, only 10 adjusted their foreign players. On the domestic front, transfer spending and numbers saw smaller declines but also trended downward.

Written by Han Bing. On July 22, the 2026 CSL summer window closed. Compared to last year, this year's window was much quieter: the number of new foreign signings dropped sharply from 11 to 5, investment in new foreign players fell by two-thirds, and total investment decreased by over 60%. Among the 16 CSL clubs, only 10 made adjustments to their foreign player rosters. In terms of domestic transfers, the decrease in spending and number of signings was smaller, but still on a downward trend.

Vietnam's first opponent in the 2026 ASEAN Cup is Timor Leste, considered weaker, but the match at Chonburi Stadium at 20:30 on July 24 still holds special significance.

Prior to the summer transfer window, Manchester United promoted a "busy summer" to excite fans about signings. However, the club has so far spent only £85 million, less than what Tottenham or Chelsea—teams without European competition—spent on a single player. The key factor behind the budget shift is reportedly Sir Jim Ratcliffe's dream of a "Wembley of the North" new stadium.

Goalkeeper Cao Van Binh became the hero of U21 SLNA in the victory over U21 Hanoi, while also showing the potential to become a reliable option for U23 Vietnam in future penalty shootouts.

Barcelona confirms Frenkie de Jong suffered a knee injury after the 2026 World Cup. Amid conflicting reports, the Dutch midfielder has spoken out to reaffirm his commitment to the Catalan club.

Coach Pep Guardiola is reportedly set to turn down the offer to lead the Italian national team, despite the efforts of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) represented by legend Paolo Maldini, who has just been appointed as Technical Director.

As the lights gradually dimmed at the New York New Jersey Stadium, the 39-year-old Messi and his teammates walked shoulder to shoulder toward the players' tunnel, with the celebration of Spain's second star behind them. The final whistle of the 2026 USA-Mexico-Canada World Cup had sounded, and Argentina, in a tragic posture of zero shots in 116 minutes and holding on with one man down into extra time, returned the defending champion's baton to the world.

Given the disparity in strength and class, the chances of Coach Kim Sang Sik's team securing all three points in their opening match of the ASEAN Cup 2026 are extremely high. However, the challenge for Vietnam in this game goes beyond just winning.