Vietnam football has recently welcomed a long-awaited victory, with the championship of the ASEAN Cup breaking the gloom that has plagued the team for two years.
This match not only brought long-awaited cheers to Vietnamese fans but also made everyone rethink what "playing style" really means.
It must be said that Vietnamese football has been "lost" in recent years.
In 2019, the Vietnamese team reached the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup, once giving people hope for the team's future, but it was followed by a sharp decline in the team's form.
The FIFA ranking once fell out of the top 100, and the performance was simply unbearable.
Worse still, in the matches, the team never had a clear tactical framework, the organization of the defensive line was chaotic, and the offensive end lacked creativity, as if they had lost their way.
The root of all this lies in the fact that Vietnamese football has always pursued a "European-style" tactical concept, especially after hiring Philippe Troussier as head coach, the fans placed too much expectation.
To put it bluntly, everyone hoped that the Vietnamese team could play like Manchester City, with precise ball control tactics, starting the attack from the backline.
However, the reality is that the Vietnamese team's lineup and resources are simply unable to support such high demands.
Troussier's arrival did not bring about the anticipated changes; instead, it made the team even more confused in terms of technology and tactics.
The players were not adapted to this new "style of play," and the team's resilience gradually diminished. Even when facing familiar opponents, they were unable to execute according to the established tactics.
Just as everyone was worried about the future of Vietnamese football, the victory at the 2024 ASEAN Cup gave the team a complete rebirth.
Against Singapore and Thailand, the Vietnamese team did not persist in ball possession and pass count as before, but changed their tactical thinking and adopted a more pragmatic defense and counterattack.
The team's ball possession rate and pass count were lower than their opponents, but this did not hinder them from finding the key to victory in the game.
Nguyen Xuan Truong's long passes and aerial balls allowed the Vietnamese team to no longer be passive against strong opponents but to find attacking space through accurate passing and quick counterattacks.
Du Viet Mang, Vu Tinh Dung, and Nguyen Xuan Mien on the defensive line actively advanced and reorganized the defense. Although this tactic seemed simple, it was very effective.
In the game, the Vietnamese team showed their long-lost resilience and fighting spirit.
Even when facing the opponent's pressure, the players remained calm and gradually found confidence.
It is worth mentioning that captain Du Viet Mang and forward Nguyen Tien Linh, although they came off the bench in some games, they were still able to turn the situation around at critical moments. This mentality of "holding steady is victory" is the key to the Vietnamese team's ultimate victory.
All this seems to confirm a statement made by Park Hang-seo earlier - what Vietnamese fans actually value most is "winning" itself.
Rather than blindly pursuing "playing well," it is better to be down-to-earth and do what you are best at.
Imagine if the Vietnamese team insisted on imitating Guardiola's ball control tactics, they might not have achieved their current results.
Whether in terms of physical fitness, technique, or resource investment, Vietnamese players are far behind Manchester City.
If they blindly follow the trend, they will only lead themselves into difficulties.
It is precisely this mentality of not being anxious for quick success that allows Vietnamese football to return to the right track.
And this return is not through a lofty tactical system but through down-to-earth efforts to find their own position.
The future of Vietnamese football does not depend on any grand "style of play" but through down-to-earth efforts to improve each aspect and gradually surpass themselves.
This victory at the ASEAN Cup may just be the beginning, but it has already proven that: as long as there is a tenacious spirit and a clear goal, victory will always belong to those who do not give up.
How the future of Vietnamese football will go, perhaps there is no need to worry too much about the so-called "style of play."
As long as the team can stabilize their mentality, continue to accumulate experience, and play in their own style, they will eventually achieve greater breakthroughs.