OFFICIAL: World top 60 prodigy called up to Vietnam U20 team

Forward Tran Gia Bao has been added to the Vietnam U20 squad for the upcoming 2026 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers.

On the morning of August 7, the Vietnam U20 team departed for Japan for a training camp as part of their preparations for the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers. Before the trip, the squad had assembled on August 3 at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center with 30 players. The roster includes many faces who participated in the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship in June, along with promising talents such as Nguyen Van Khanh, Bach Trong Duong, Le Tan Dung, Nguyen Van Bach, Nguyen Thien Phu, Tran Gia Bao, and Le Van Hoan.

Among the notable names, Tran Gia Bao is the name that attracts the most expectations. At the end of 2025, this young striker became the sole representative of Vietnamese football on The Guardian's 'Next Generation' list, which features 60 of the world's most promising young talents. Previously, Gia Bao impressed by becoming the youngest player in history to score in the V-League, and also found the net against Japan's U17 while playing for Vietnam's youth teams.

Previously, Gia Bao was not included in the Vietnam U19 squad for the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship. The striker born in 2008 was retained by HAGL to play in the V-League and caused a stir by scoring two consecutive goals in the final two matchdays, showcasing outstanding form. Unfortunately, without Gia Bao, Vietnam U19 were eliminated in the group stage.

During the training camp in Japan, the Vietnam U20 coaching staff will focus on improving fitness, enhancing coordination, and helping players gain more experience through high-quality friendly matches.

After the training camp ends on August 17, the entire team will return home and enter the final preparation phase for Group C of the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers, which will take place from August 31 to September 6 at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho.

In the qualifiers, Vietnam U20 will face Iran, North Korea (DPR Korea), and Palestine. This is considered a tough group as Iran is a top seed with a strong youth football tradition, while North Korea and Palestine also have considerable competitive ability. However, with home advantage and thorough preparation, Vietnam U20 aims to achieve good results to compete for a ticket to the 2027 AFC U20 Asian Cup finals.