Football news midday 16/7: U17 Vietnam receives good news

Vietnam women's U17 and Dinh Bac both receive good news in a row, while the 2026 World Cup and Manchester United are also heating up with notable developments involving Messi, Rashford, and young talents.

Vietnam women's U17 gains a major advantage ahead of Asian qualifiers

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed that Vietnam women's U17 is placed in the top seed group for the 2027 AFC Women's U17 Asian Cup qualifiers,alongside strong teams such as South Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines. Notably, Vietnam has also been selected as one of the host nations for the qualifiers, thus gaining home-field advantage in the race for a spot in the finals. The draw for group allocation will take place on July 16, 2026,while the qualifying matches are scheduled from October 5 to 11, 2026.

According to the format, 30 teams will be divided into 8 groups, with only the top 8 group winners advancing to the finals. Before the draw, the AFC also confirmed that Nepal's women's U17 team has withdrawn due to the country's football federation remaining under suspension by FIFA.

Dinh Bac sees the biggest value increase in the Vietnam national team

Right before the 2026 AFF Cup, forward Nguyen Dinh Bac received good news as Transfermarkt raised his transfer value from €300,000 to €400,000,the highest increase in the latest update. This achievement helps the CAHN striker climb to joint second in the list of most valuable players in the Vietnam national team alongside Nguyen Quang Hai, only behind Nguyen Xuan Son (€550,000).

Dinh Bac's rise comes from a breakout 2025/26 season, winning the V-League championship, the Best Young Player award, and making his mark in the journey to third place at the 2026 Asian U23 Championship. With his current form, the 2004-born striker is expected to further increase his value if he shines at the 2026 AFF Cup.

Lisandro Martinez praises Messi ahead of World Cup final

After Argentina secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup final, defender Lisandro Martinez heaped praise on captain Lionel Messi,stating that Messi is the absolute leader of La Albiceleste and inspires the entire team to give their all on the pitch. Although he didn't score in the semi-final against England, Messi still shone with two assists, playing a key role in the 2-1 victory.

According to Martinez, the fighting spirit and dedication of the 39-year-old superstar are the driving force that helps Argentina overcome all challenges. La Albiceleste is now just one match away from the title as they prepare to face Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.

Henry reveals a turning point involving Rashford

After England's 1-2 loss to Argentina in the 2026 World Cup semi-final, Thierry Henry revealed that Marcus Rashford was almost brought on by coach Thomas Tuchel just before Anthony Gordon opened the scoring. However, after the goal, the German tactician unexpectedly switched to a defensive approach and scrapped the plan to use the Manchester United forward.

According to Henry,this decision caused England to lose control of the match and allowed Argentina to stage a comeback with goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez. The French legend's view was also echoed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who believed Tuchel was too cautious and failed to exploit Rashford's pace in counter-attacking situations.

Manchester United youngster nears an important milestone

As Manchester United continues to restructure their squad under coach Michael Carrick, young talent Edson DeJonge-Seiros has reached a notable milestone by officially signing with management agency McHale Sports.This firm will assist the young forward in negotiating his first professional contract with the Red Devils.

DeJonge-Seiros joined the Manchester United academy at age six and recently signed his first-year scholarship at Carrington. Capable of playing as a center forward, winger, or attacking midfielder, the young player is highly regarded for his versatility and technique. This is seen as an important step in the development of one of the most promising talents from the Manchester United academy.