Thailand coach makes a strong statement, Vietnam team receives a warning at the AFF tournament

The U19 Thailand coach announced that the team's goal is to enter the final of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship prior to traveling to Indonesia.

U19 Thailand is showing immense determination on the eve of the tournament 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship as they set the target of advancing directly to the final. The confident statements from coach Jukkapant Punpee not only reflect the ambition of the "Little War Elephants" but are also regarded as a warning to major regional rivals, including U19 Vietnam.

On the morning of May 29, U19 Thailand officially departed for Indonesia to take part in the tournament. The team brought 23 players considered the best available at present, hoping to reassert the status of Thai youth football on the regional stage. Before leaving from Suvarnabhumi International Airport, coach Jukkapant Punpee shared some remarkable remarks with the media.

"My goal, whether at the ASEAN level or any other level, is to set high targets first so that the players have motivation to compete. We will make it to the final, that is the goal we are setting. We must do everything to help the players achieve that. I told all members from the beginning that we must develop and improve to become professional football players and important assets for the national team in the future," the U19 Thailand strategist affirmed.

Not only bold about performance objectives, coach Jukkapant Punpee also demonstrated great confidence in the current squad. According to him, the chosen players were all in optimal condition before departing for Indonesia. "The 23 players we selected are the best and most ready. None of them are injured. We tried to use players who have played many matches because training time is limited, so we had to choose the best-prepared players for the tournament.

Over the past two weeks, the players have been trying to learn our playing style. First of all, everyone must support each other in defense, which the players are learning and adapting to quickly."

Although placed in a group considered quite light with Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, the captain of the "Little War Elephants" remained cautious. "Regarding the first match against Brunei, some might think we have an advantage, but we will not be complacent because the first match is always difficult.

If the players can quickly adapt to our training process, that will be very good, but if they don't play according to the system or score slowly, that could put pressure on them. We try to take it one match at a time, and we also need to check the players' fitness, which I think is currently at about 80%. I believe the players will regain full fitness to reach peak form in the semi-finals and final."

In the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship, U19 Vietnam is in Group A alongside host Indonesia, Timor Leste, and Myanmar. With only three group winners and one best runner-up advancing to the semi-finals, the competition promises to be extremely fierce. In that context, the confident statement from U19 Thailand makes the race for this year's Southeast Asian title hotter than ever.