The tournament came as a new generation of Vietnamese stars were rising to prominence, going on to eliminate the likes of Australia, Iraq, and Qatar in a magnificent run to the final that saw tens of thousands of fans take to the streets in celebrations across the country, according to the AFC. 

Going into the final, opponents Uzbekistan were more accustomed to the snowy conditions in Changzhou, China, and went in front through Rustam Ashumatov’s early header, it wrote.

However, Quang Hai’s ‘Rainbow in the Snow’ free-kick reignited the Vietnamese flame as both sides were level before Andrey Sidorov volleyed home from close range with the game just seconds away from penalties to claim glory for the Central Asians, the AFC reported. 

Vietnam finished as the runner-up at the AFC U23 Asian Cup after losing 2-1 to Uzbekistan in the final played on January 27, 2018.

The Vietnamese players’ impressive performance inspired foreign media outlets and millions of fans both in Vietnam and around the world. 

At the 2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup in Qatar, Vietnam will play their opening match against Kuwait on April 17.

The team led by new head coach Hoang Anh Tuan will later face Malaysia and Uzbekistan on April 20 and April 23, respectively.

Uzbekistan are considered the strongest candidates, while Vietnam have to face fierce competition from Malaysia and Kuwait to qualify for the next round.