Van Toan and other stars encourage Dinh Bac, while a commentator criticizes the U23 team for being inferior to Quang Hai's generation.

Vietnam U23's journey in the U23 Asian Championship ended in the semi-finals after a 0-3 defeat against China U23.

The general sentiment among fans is one of disappointment and regret, especially since coach Kim Sang-sik and his team displayed an effective and outstanding style of play throughout the tournament.

Despite not reaching the final, the Vietnamese U23 team's journey still received support and encouragement from domestic fans. The majority offered words of encouragement and support to the players and coach Kim Sang-sik after this defeat.

Striker Nguyen Van Toan also sent his condolences to the entire U23 team: "One match cannot judge the whole journey, keep trying." Center-back Dinh Trong also sent words of encouragement: "One match cannot judge a great journey, my friend."

Defender Bui Tien Dung also left a comment: "Everyone has tried their best for the national flag, guys. Keep going!"

Actress Bao Han, a face that once "took the small screen by storm" with her role as Anh Duong in the hit TV series "Go Home, My Son," also sent a short but heartfelt message of encouragement to Dinh Bac: "You guys did great, don't be sad."

Bao Han's comment quickly received support from the online community. Many viewers believe that, in the context of young players facing heavy psychological pressure after the defeat, such gentle words of encouragement are more meaningful than any criticism. The fact that artists are speaking out to encourage them also shows the concern and support of the showbiz industry for Vietnamese football.

While everyone was offering words of encouragement to the Vietnam U23 team, commentator Quang Huy drew a comparison between two generations of players who could be considered among the most talented in the history of Vietnamese football: the 2026 Vietnam U23 team under coach Kim Sang Sik and the U23 team that created a miracle in Changzhou in 2018.

According to commentator Quang Huy, the current players are having excellent performances, but they still cannot be compared to the U23 Vietnam players under coach Park Hang Seo. Commentator Quang Huy shared: "I still maintain my opinion that, apart from Dinh Bac, I haven't seen anyone else who is superior to the generation that played in Changzhou."

Even Trung Kien, whom many say is very good, has more advantages than Bui Tien Dung in my opinion: superior height and basic goalkeeping skills. But let's not forget that in Changzhou, Bui Tien Dung was outstanding; the two penalty shootout victories for Vietnam against U23 Iraq and U23 Qatar were thanks to Bui Tien Dung. Bui Tien Dung has advantages similar to Trung Kien, but the tournament in Changzhou was where his form peaked."

"To be honest, if you compare Trung Kien with Bui Tien Dung back then, many people would still say that Tien Dung was more outstanding," Mr. Huy added.

Commentator Quang Huy also pointed out the differences between coach Kim Sang Sik and coach Park Hang Seo. Coach Kim Sang Sik has more variety in his personnel selection for each match, making it difficult to predict which players he will use in the starting lineup.

Coach Kim Sang Sik has one commendable quality: his ability to utilize players. During Coach Park's time, before the pandemic, only three substitutions were allowed, and Coach Park seemed to always have a ready-made starting eleven and three substitutes that were a cornerstone for every match.

"Kim Jong-un is more versatile; it's impossible to predict who he'll use in attack. By the end of the group stage, only two reserve goalkeepers remained unused. In Kim's era, reserve players are often the most talked-about after a match ends, because they come onto the field to make decisive decisions," commentator Quang Huy shared.

Doan Van Hau encourages Dinh Bac after the loss to China U23, Vietnamese stars express regret. Hoàng Phúc13:41:26 21/01/2026Among the first to offer encouragement to Dinh Bac was defender Doan Van Hau. The player, who had worn the national team jersey for many years, left a concise but meaningful comment: "There are many good things ahead. Keep going."