Anthony Hudson and Yotsakorn Burapha shared their feelings after Thailand's national team lost to Vietnam with a 2-4 aggregate score, finishing as runners-up in the ASEAN Cup 2026.
On 27 August 2026, Anthony Hudson and Yotsakorn Burapha spoke about their feelings after the 'War Elephants,' Thailand’s national team, completed their campaign in the ASEAN Football Championship 2026, losing to the 'Golden Stars,' Vietnam's national team, with a 2-4 aggregate over two legs to finish as runners-up.
Anthony Hudson, head coach of Thailand’s national team, said, “Overall, I’m proud of all the players. They have been together for a long time, working very hard and performing excellently. Of course, I feel disappointed with the result. This morning, I was still sad and regretful about the outcome. I thought we could have achieved a better result, but overall, I’m proud of the players from the start of the tournament until yesterday.”
“Looking back at the past two camps, including this one, they served as opportunities to scout and try out many new players. This camp was a chance to test players since it wasn’t during a FIFA date. We had many new faces who worked very well together. The important thing now, with three camps left, is that we aim to succeed and win in every tournament with our best squad, whether 23 or 26 players. The previous two camps were about trying out players; from now on, we will combine and select the best players for the last three camps.”
“The upcoming period will be during FIFA dates with three important tournaments. We want to succeed and win them all. Of course, this camp wasn’t during a FIFA date, which limited player selection because clubs have rights over their players. I’ve said many times that we appreciate all clubs for their cooperation, as well as the Football Association of Thailand for their support and discussions with clubs regarding releasing players. The next camp will be during FIFA dates, and we want the strongest possible squad to secure victories and success.”
Meanwhile, Yotsakorn Burapha, awarded Best Young Player of the ASEAN Cup 2026, said, “I feel regretful. We scored one goal and had momentum on our side, even earning a penalty. We can’t blame our senior players and should even praise them for daring to take the penalty. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t come back. This tournament helped me develop in many areas. I hope this young squad will have a chance to become champions next time.”
“Yesterday, we played well. The coach said we did well but still made mistakes. Everyone is disappointed because the momentum was with us, but we couldn’t capitalize. Winning the Best Young Player award was unexpected and I’m happy, but winning the championship with the team would have made me happier. If the full Thailand squad had played, I believe we could have beaten Vietnam because we pressured them but couldn’t break through and made errors. Finally, I thank the fans who supported us, whether traveling to watch or cheering at home. We gave our best. Thank you for your support.”
After this, the coaching staff will meet with the Football Association to finalize plans and prepare for the next tournament, the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 in Indonesia, taking place from 24 September to 5 October 2026.