Beyond the trophy: Kim Sang Sik's FIFA ASEAN Cup mission

People laughed at me for Walker. Three years later, they cried tears of laughter at the price of full-backs. Football always punishes those who only look at results. And for Kim Sang Sik, the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 is not a place to reaffirm Vietnam's status as Southeast Asia's number one – something they already have – but the biggest laboratory before the 2027 Asian Cup exam. In an empty stadium, I hear my heart clearer than the roar of the stands. But in Indonesia from September 24 to October 5, 2026, the stands will not be empty. There will be a sea of passionate home fans, pressure from the expectations of Vietnamese supporters, and a team facing a paradox: champions with nothing left to prove at regional level, but yet to prove anything at continental level. Over the past two years, Vietnam entered many matches as favorites. They won the ASEAN Cup 2026, becoming the region's top team. But that dominance has masked weaknesses. When opponents always sit deep, Vietnam's counter-attacks are rarely tested. When you always control possession, you don't know how you'll cope when pressed. Victories over weaker opponents create an illusion of absolute strength. Kim Sang Sik – the South Korean coach – understands this better than anyone. The 43-year-old tactician faces a difficult puzzle: how to defend the regional crown while experimenting with new options for the 2027 Asian Cup? The article in a reputable newspaper pointed out that he needs "more solutions" against stronger opponents. This means the current tactical system – though effective in Southeast Asia – could become fragile against teams with superior speed and technique like Japan, South Korea, or Iran. The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 is being held for the first time, giving it special significance for regional football. FIFA's presence means the tournament will operate under international standards, possibly including VAR technology and international match calendar windows. This gives Kim access to his strongest squad, but also creates a more competitive environment than any previous AFF Cup. In 12 days of intense competition, Kim will have to rotate his squad. This is his chance to assess squad depth – something the article emphasizes as a key objective. But experimenting in an official tournament always carries risks. If Vietnam are eliminated early due to tactical experiments, criticism will target the Korean coach. I disagree not because I want to be different. I disagree because the majority has been wrong about me before. When I criticized the £50 million Walker deal in 2026, I was wrong. Man City won the title with 100 points, and Walker was a key part of that machine. I learned my lesson: never judge a system based on a few matches, and never bet your entire reputation on a single scenario. Kim Sang Sik is doing the same. He doesn't see the FIFA ASEAN Cup as a trophy to defend, but as a dress rehearsal for the 2027 Asian Cup – Vietnam's most immediate major objective. He needs to reassess squad quality, from depth to system effectiveness. He needs to find new solutions against stronger opponents. And he must do all this while meeting fans' expectations of a final appearance. This is the champion's trap. When you've won, victory is expected, and defeat is a disaster. When you experiment, you might lose. And when you lose in a tournament where people expect you to reach the final, everything gets worse. But if Kim only focuses on results, he'll miss the only chance to prepare for the Asian Cup – where the gap in class will be clearly exposed. Football and esports share one rule: those who fake it get exposed. In football, you can't pretend everything is fine when your opponents are Japan or Iran. You can't pretend that beating Laos or Timor-Leste proves you're ready for the continent. Kim Sang Sik understands that the experimentation window is closing. After the FIFA ASEAN Cup, only about 6-9 months remain before the 2027 Asian Cup kicks off. Indonesia as hosts will be Vietnam's most dangerous opponent. Indonesia's rapid football development – from naturalized players to improved infrastructure – combined with home advantage creates a real challenge. If the two teams meet in the knockout stage, it will be the tournament's most intense match. Kim needs to prepare his team to withstand pressure from the stands, something friendlies never replicate. The concrete defense – which I once believed in for Iran at the 2026 World Cup – collapsed against Spain in the final 15 minutes. I was wrong to ignore the difference in physicality and ball circulation speed. That lesson reminds me: at continental level, what works regionally can become useless. Kim Sang Sik is trying to avoid the same. He doesn't want to wait until the Asian Cup to discover his team lacks solutions against stronger opponents. Fans are angry at me for breaking their dreams. Dreams made of truth last longer. And the truth is: Vietnam has reached the regional peak, but there's still a big gap to the continental level. The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 is not a place to celebrate the past, but to build the future. Kim Sang Sik might not win the trophy if he prioritizes experimentation. But if he finds new solutions, new players, and a more flexible system, that would be the real victory. At 43, I still speak hot, but the fire has learned to wait. Kim Sang Sik is the same. He's waiting for the moment when all experiments pay off, when Vietnam enters the 2027 Asian Cup with a more complete squad, a more flexible system, and a spirit ready to face the biggest challenges. The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 will tell us whether he can do it. And whatever the result, one thing is certain: this tournament will shape the future of Vietnamese football at the continental level.