Hanoi, Vietnam – Kim Sang-sik, the 49-year-old coach of the Vietnamese national football team, has successfully replicated the 'Park Hang-seo Magic' by leading his team to victory in the 2024 AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup, Southeast Asia's biggest football tournament. This triumph comes just eight months after Kim took the helm of the national team.
Vietnam secured their championship title with a 3-2 victory over Thailand in the second leg of the final held at Bangkok's Rajamangala Stadium on July 5th. After winning the first leg 2-1 at home on July 3rd, Vietnam claimed an aggregate 5-3 win. This marks Vietnam's third AFF Championship title, their first since 2018 under the guidance of Park Hang-seo.
Kim's achievement in his first Mitsubishi Cup tournament has been met with widespread acclaim from Vietnamese fans and media alike. He has even earned the nickname 'Second Park Hang-seo', drawing comparisons to the legendary coach who led Vietnam to numerous successes between 2017 and 2023. Park's nickname, '쌀딩크', is a portmanteau of '쌀' (rice, symbolizing Vietnam) and 'Hiddink', the surname of Guus Hiddink, the renowned Dutch coach.
"This victory belongs to the Vietnamese people," Kim stated after the match. "I am deeply grateful for the dedication and unwavering spirit of our players who fought until the very end."
This win also marks a personal redemption for Kim. He began his coaching career in 2021 with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the K League, where he won the league title in his debut season and the FA Cup the following year. However, he was dismissed in May 2023 due to poor results, leaving him without a job for a year.
Vietnam had experienced a period of stagnation after Park Hang-seo's departure, but this victory has reignited their momentum as they head into the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Vietnam will compete against Laos, Malaysia, and Nepal for a spot in the main tournament starting in March.
"We have overcome a significant hurdle, but I know there are even greater challenges ahead," Kim acknowledged. "We will strive to win gold medals at the Asian Cup qualifiers and the SEA Games later this year."
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