Hot football news this afternoon 7/7: U23 Vietnam receives good news

Coach Park Hang-seo resigns as KFA Vice President after South Korea's failure at the 2026 World Cup, U23 Vietnam has a better chance to be seeded at the 2026 Asian Games, Ronaldo officially ends his final World Cup career, Belgium's national team creates a stir after defeating the USA, and Manchester United faces difficulties in the Tchouameni deal.

Coach Park Hang-seo says goodbye to KFA

Coach Park Hang-seo officially resigns as Vice President of the Korea Football Association (KFA) after the South Korean team was eliminated right from the group stage of the 2026 World Cup. According to South Korean media, the 68-year-old strategist proactively requested to step down to take responsibility as the team's head of delegation and apologized to fans for not meeting expectations. His decision came shortly after Coach Hong Myung-bo also left his position, opening the possibility for KFA to undergo a major restructuring.

Concluding his role at KFA, the former Vietnam national team coach will move on to a new challenge by taking over Kanchanaburi Power in the Thai League 2 on a two-year contract.

U23 Vietnam has a wide open door at the 2026 Asian Games

The list of 16 teams participating in the men's football event of the 2026 Asian Games has been determined ahead of the draw on July 23. Southeast Asia has three representatives: U23 Vietnam, U23 Thailand, and U23 Philippines, after India successively withdrew. Notably, U23 Vietnam holds a significant advantage thanks to their bronze medal achievement at the 2026 U23 Asian Championship, thus likely to be placed in a higher seeding group compared to their regional opponents.

The 2026 Asian Games will take place in Japan from September 19 to October 4. U23 Vietnam is expected to have a favorable draw result to aim for advancing deep in the continental competition.

Belgium's national team causes a stir after victory

The Belgian national team defeated the host USA 4-1 to secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup, simultaneously becoming the center of attention with a celebration that sparked much discussion after the match. Earlier, FIFA canceled Folarin Balogun's suspension, which drew a strong reaction from the Belgian Football Association, but the Red Devils still responded with a convincing performance featuring a brace from Charles De Ketelaere and goals from Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku.

After the decisive goal, the Belgian players simultaneously performed a highly suggestive celebration, before the team's official account posted a status "Overturn this", sparking much debate. Belgium will face Spain in the quarterfinals, while the USA's journey ended in the round of 16.

Highlights of the 2026 World Cup on July 7

Cristiano Ronaldo officially bid farewell to the World Cup after Portugal's 0-1 defeat to Spain in the round of 16, closing a journey spanning more than two decades with 232 matches and 146 goals for the national team. Although he never lifted the World Cup trophy, CR7 still left his mark as one of the greatest icons in football history due to his will, ambition, and influence extending beyond the pitch.

At the same time, the USA's dream of a home World Cup also shattered following a 1-4 loss to Belgium. This result further highlights the gap between the Stars and Stripes and football powerhouses, despite significant investment and home advantage.

Manchester United faces difficulties in the Tchouameni deal

Manchester United still considers Tchouameni as their top target to upgrade the midfield, but this deal is facing two major obstacles. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the high salary of the French midfielder at Real Madrid is the first hurdle, as the Red Devils require him to accept a significant pay cut if he wants to join Old Trafford.

In addition, Real Madrid has not signaled a willingness to negotiate, making the chances of a successful deal still very low. Nevertheless, Tchouameni is still regarded as an ideal piece for coach Michael Carrick's system due to his ability to intercept, recover the ball, and regulate play, with impressive statistics for Real Madrid in the 2025/26 season.

Top football news

The Vietnam national team continues to maintain a high training intensity in South Korea after a 6-0 victory over Siheung FC. Striker Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong becomes more confident after his first goal for the national team and aims to compete for a starting spot. Meanwhile, the VFF announced online ticket sales for the friendly match between Vietnam and Myanmar starting July 8, with prices from 100,000 VND.

On the international stage, Cristiano Ronaldo drew attention by asserting that winning Euro 2016 is equivalent to a World Cup after concluding his final World Cup campaign. At the 2026 World Cup, the USA suffered a heavy 1-4 loss to Belgium despite FIFA allowing Folarin Balogun to play. Additionally, the European transfer market continues to heat up with deals involving Tottenham, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and many notable stars.