Coach Diego Giustozzi steers Vietnam futsal back toward World Cup goal

After two disappointing years, Vietnam futsal is showing positive momentum with an unbeaten run in a high-quality friendly tournament in Thailand. The Vietnam futsal team has revived hopes of making a third appearance at the FIFA Futsal World Cup.

Two years ago, Vietnam futsalended its journey toward the 2024 World Cup with much regret.

That was a period when the team lost stability, the generational transition did not go smoothly, and coach Diego Giustozzi also faced pressure.

At one point, many questioned whether the coach who won the FIFA Futsal World Cup 2016 with Argentina was truly a good fit for Vietnam futsal.

However, Vietnam football remained patient and placed its trust in the Argentine strategist, and that decision is now showing very positive signs.

The Continental Championship 2026 in Thailand is only a friendly tournament, but its professional value is unquestionable.

The Vietnam team faced a series of strong opponents such as Russia (ranked 7th by FIFA), Thailand (11th), Afghanistan (21st), and New Zealand.

These are all teams with extensive international experience; among them, Russia, Thailand, and Afghanistan were rated higher than Vietnam futsal. Yet, coach Diego Giustozzi's side surprised many by remaining unbeaten in four matches: drawing 2-2 with Russia, winning 4-1 against New Zealand, defeating Afghanistan 2-1, and then drawing 3-3 with hosts Thailand in a thrilling finish.

Not only are they guaranteed a medal in the tournament, but Vietnam futsal also displayed the image of a confident, energetic team ready to compete on equal terms with stronger opponents.

What is more noteworthy is that this success did not come from an experienced squad as before. Mr. Diego had to patiently build a new generation with many players only 20-21 years old. Van Hoai, Trong Kien, Nhan Nam, and Thanh Tam are all players who are either making their debut or have just been given opportunities with the national team.

They are not yet stars who can immediately decide a match, but every minute they play against top-class opponents like Russia or Thailand is an invaluable asset for the future. That is the vision of coach Diego Giustozzi.

The coach who led Argentina to the World Cup title understands that a strong team cannot rely solely on a few veterans. To return to the 2028 World Cup, Vietnam futsal must have depth in its squad, where young players are capable of replacing their seniors when needed.

It is still too early to claim that Vietnam futsal has returned to the level that helped the team reach the Round of 16 of the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2016 and 2021. The Continental Championship is still just a friendly tournament, and today's positive results do not guarantee success in official competitions.

The players themselves have learned too many costly lessons over the past two years to understand that excitement must be accompanied by a cool head. However, the encouraging thing is that Vietnam futsal has found a clear direction. The team is no longer struggling with the generational transition but is gradually forming a successor generation capable of shouldering the future.

The performances against Russia, Afghanistan, and Thailand show that the gap between Vietnam futsal and the stronger teams is not too wide if investment and development continue in the right direction.

After the failures and disappointments of the past two years, coach Diego Giustozzi is finally receiving the reward for his patience. More importantly, he is restoring the belief that the dream of the 2028 World Cup is not too far away.