Thai fans fear Vietnam could dominate Southeast Asian football for next decade

On Pantip, a popular Thai-language website and discussion forum, a heated discussion has emerged around what many supporters are calling ‘the race against Vietnam over the next 10 years.’

“There was a time when Vietnamese footballers looked to Thailand for guidance in many areas, especially youth development,” one Thai supporter wrote.

“During the 2000s and early 2010s, Thailand gave the impression that it would dominate Southeast Asian football for an entire decade.

“However, currently that feeling belongs to Vietnam.

“They have proven their strength from the national team down to every youth level. What chance does Thailand have now?” 

Similarly, Buriram Prankster, a football fanpage with more than 200,000 followers, has also published several posts comparing the current state of Vietnamese and Thai football.

“Thai football was once feared throughout the region,” one post read.

“But now the undisputed king of Southeast Asian football is Vietnam, and they possess enough talented generations to stay on top for many years.”

What appears to worry Thai fans the most is not Vietnam’s recent regional titles, but the depth of talent emerging across multiple age groups.

“Look at how far they have gone in both the AFC U-23 Championship and the AFC U-17 Asian Cup,” another Pantip user commented.

“These two generations alone are enough to secure the future of Vietnamese football for the next decade.”

Many Thai supporters agreed with the sentiment.

Thai newspaper Thairath also acknowledged that the country’s current young footballers are struggling badly and cannot yet compete at the ‘continental level’ that Vietnam are reaching.

Amid the discussions, Thai fans appeared to be more concerned about the future of their own football.

Many argued that the Football Association of Thailand must radically overhaul the youth development system and long-standing training methods it has relied on for years.

Some supporters even admitted that Thailand must now adopt a more humble approach and learn from a Vietnamese football system.