Hot football news noon 20/7: Vietnam receives great news ahead of Asian tournament

The Vietnam national team makes waves ahead of the AFF Cup 2026, while the U23 side holds a major advantage at the 2026 ASIAD; additionally, the 2026 World Cup sets a record prize fund, the moment between Cucurella and Messi goes viral after the final, and Manchester United is deemed a big winner in the transfer market.

Vietnam national team sends a strong signal

The 4-0 victory over Myanmar not only gave Vietnam a perfect warm-up ahead of the AFF Cup 2026 but also created a significant buzz in the region. With a dominant playing style and standout performances from naturalized players like Xuan Son, Hoang Hen, and Tai Loc, coach Kim Sang-sik's squad received plenty of praise from Southeast Asian media.

Indonesian media rated Vietnam as the top contender for the championship and warned their own team to be especially cautious. Meanwhile, Thai media also acknowledged the strength of the Golden Star warriors, stating that Kim Sang-sik's side is on an ideal preparation path and capable of competing for the AFF Cup 2026 title.

Vietnam national team holds a big advantage

Ahead of the draw for the men's football event at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya ASIAD, regional media widely reported that Vietnam is placed in the top seed group alongside Japan, South Korea, and host China. If confirmed by the organizers, coach Kim's team would avoid these three strong opponents in the group stage, thereby increasing their chances of advancing deep into the tournament.

According to ASEAN Football, the seeding is based on performances at the 2026 U23 Asian Cup, where Vietnam reached the semifinals. However, the official seed list has not yet been announced. At the 2026 ASIAD, the VFF plans to send the U21 team to gain experience for young players, aiming to build a future reserve for the U23 and national teams.

2026 World Cup sets record prize money

The 2026 World Cup marks a new milestone in commercial value as FIFA announced a total prize fund of 871 million USD, the highest in the tournament's history. Champions Spain received 51 million USD, while runners-up Argentina pocketed 34 million USD. Each participating team is guaranteed at least 12.5 million USD, including group stage participation fees and preparation support. FIFA also increased the prize fund following requests from several federations to offset hosting costs in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

In addition to prize money, teams also receive various logistical payments from FIFA. The entire amount will be transferred to the football federations, and the distribution to players will be decided by each country.

Contrasting moment after the 2026 World Cup final

Alongside Spain's World Cup victory, the moment Marc Cucurella celebrated right next to Lionel Messi after the final whistle quickly went viral on social media. This image drew even more attention given that the two players had previously exchanged words, with Messi asking the referee to review Cucurella's hand-to-mouth gesture. However, the referee ruled that Cucurella had not committed a foul and did not issue a card. Many fans considered this an ironic twist following the clash between the two players, while others thought their standing next to each other was just a coincidence. Nonetheless, the contrasting moment between Cucurella's joy and Messi's regret remains one of the most memorable images after the final.

Manchester United benefits amid the transfer frenzy

Amid rising transfer fees in the Premier League, Manchester United is seen as having made smart moves in the market. The Bryan Mbeumo deal, costing around 70 million pounds looks even more bargain when Chelsea spent up to 117 million pounds to sign Morgan Rogers. Additionally, acquiring Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans for a total of 85 million pounds is also considered a valuable set of deals.

Under the management of INEOS, United is prioritizing quality targets at reasonable prices rather than jumping into expensive bidding wars. This strategy is expected to help the Red Devils build a more efficient squad amid the increasingly volatile transfer market.