Tens of thousands of Vietnamese football fans gathered on the streets late at night to celebrate after their national team defeated South Korea to claim third place in the AFC U23 Asian Cup.
On 24 Jan 2026 GMT+7, such an occasion is rare. Tens of thousands of Vietnamese football fans gathered for a wild celebration on the streets late at night after the "Golden Star" Vietnam U23 national team defeated the "Blue Dragon" South Korea U23 team to secure third place in the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Among the Vietnamese fans who gathered, many stood waving national flags to honor their players’ proud achievement. Others clapped and sang joyfully, while some drove their cars honking loudly to celebrate their team’s success.
In this match, the "Golden Star" Vietnam U23 team, reduced to 10 players in the 86th minute, drew 2-2 with South Korea after 120 minutes. Vietnam then won the penalty shootout 7-6, finishing third and making history by winning the bronze medal in this tournament.