Korean coach for Vietnam men's national football team eyes historic World Cup berth
Kim Sang-sik, head coach of the Vietnam national football team, poses at the Vietnam Football Federation office in Hanoi, July 25. Korea Times photo by Heo Kyung-joo.
Having coached Vietnam to their second straight Southeast Asian men's football title, Korean tactician Kim Sang-sik said Friday his ultimate goal is to take his team to the FIFA World Cup for the first time.
Kim spoke with Korean media on Zoom on Friday, two days after Vietnam held off Thailand to win the ASEAN Hyundai Cup title.
In the two-legged final, Vietnam prevailed 4-2 in the aggregate score -- with a 2-0 win in Bangkok on Saturday followed by a 2-2 draw in Hanoi on Wednesday.
"I am happy to have won the second straight ASEAN Hyundai Cup, and I would like to thank my players for trusting me for the past two months," Kim said. "We were able to achieve this great result because so many Vietnamese fans filled the stadium, and we received so much support wherever we played."
Kim, who also coaches Vietnam's under-23 national team, led the country to the ASEAN U-23 Championship title and the Southeast Asian Games gold medal in 2025. Vietnam's senior team has now gone undefeated in a country-record 26 matches, with 22 victories and four draws.
"I have been asked if I have any secret recipe, and I don't think there is any one particular thing," Kim said. "First of all, I have to be very observant as head coach. I keep an eye on players' physical conditions and abilities, and how they will be able to keep up with my tactics and training programs.
"Football is constantly evolving, and I think I have been successful because I have been able to adjust quickly to constant changes," Kim continued. "I always try to give my players a clear direction and keep things straightforward. And the players have been receptive and have trusted the team."
Kim said he was touched by the sight of Vietnamese fans waving the Korean national flag, Taegeukgi, on streets after his team won the ASEAN title this week. Kim thanked Park Hang-seo, fellow South Korean and one of his predecessors for the Vietnamese national team, for blazing the trail for him with his earlier success.
"I understand there are about 10,000 Korean companies operating in Vietnam, and their employees tell me that whenever football comes up in conversations with their Vietnamese counterparts, it lightens up the mood," Kim said. "This makes me really proud, and I will continue to work hard."
Kim is hoping his hard work will help him take Vietnam to their very first World Cup appearance.
"When I met FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the championship ceremony at the ASEAN Hyundai Cup, he told me he wanted to see Vietnam at a World Cup," Kim said. "I want to develop Vietnam into a team that can qualify for the World Cup. Personally, I would love to go up against world-class coaches on such a big stage."
The next major competition for Vietnam will be the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup in January 2027 in Saudi Arabia. They will play Kim's native Korea in Group E.
"Regardless of our opponents, I think we have to be as well prepared as possible at every competition," Kim said. "And we will do the same against South Korea. It is a shame South Korea did so poorly at this year's World Cup, and I hope they will do better at the Asian Cup."