SEA Games 33: Vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome

Head coach Kim Sang-sik and the players land at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi following a memorable campaign that culminate in an emotional gold-medal victory, reigniting national pride and drawing widespread attention from football fans across the country.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 2

Hundreds of supporters gathered at the airport despite the late hour, holding national flags, banners and bouquets of flowers to greet the players and coaching staff.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 3

Under head coach Kim Sang-sik’s leadership, Vietnam has enjoyed an unprecedented run of regional success this year, including champions of the 2024 ASEAN Championship (AFF Cup in early 2025), winners of 2025 ASEAN U23 Championship, and gold medalist at 2025 SEA Games.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 4

Striker Dinh Bac is regarded as one of Vietnam’s brightest young attacking prospects, blending talent with hunger.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 5

Ly Duc is seen as one of Vietnam’s most promising young defenders, regularly involved in both U22/U23 success and future senior national team plans under coach Kim Sang-sik.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 6

Striker Quoc Viet is known as a modern attacking player, and able to play across the front line, both on the wing and through the middle.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 7

At SEA Games 33 in Thailand, striker Van Thuan is not the main starting striker, but is one of the impact substitutes and a key attacking spark for U22 Vietnam under coach Kim Sang-sik.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 8

Head coach Kim Sang-sik and the players take time to interact with fans, signing autographs and posing for photos, creating an emotional and memorable homecoming scene.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 9

Trung Kien is the main goalkeeper for the U22 side during the SEA Games 33 campaign, entrusted with the No. 1 spot by coach Kim Sang sik and playing throughout the tournament.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 10

During the Vietnam vs Thailand final at SEA Games 33, midfielder Thai Son is involved in the build up play that leads to the winning goal, playing a key pass that facilitates the sequence ending with the decisive finish.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 11

Midfielder Viktor Le represents a new wave of overseas Vietnamese talent being tapped for national teams, blending foreign training with a growing role in Vietnam’s youth and senior setups.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 12

The gold-medal victory and the team’s homecoming have sparked celebrations nationwide, highlighting the unifying power of football and the growing expectations placed on Vietnam’s young talents on the regional and international stage.

sea games 33 vietnamese heroes return home in warm welcome picture 13

Following the return, the U22 players are expected to enjoy a short break before regrouping for upcoming international assignments, as Vietnam continue preparations for future continental tournaments.