Vietnamese football breaks Southeast Asian historical record with 23-match unbeaten run

By defeating Malaysia 2-0 in Kuala Lumpur, Vietnam gained a significant edge in the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-finals and simultaneously etched the names of Kim Sang Sik and his players into the record books with an unbeaten run of 23 consecutive matches.

Vietnamese football has officially set a new historic milestone in the region. The convincing 2-0 win against Malaysia in the first leg of the 2026 ASEAN Cup semi-finals on August 16 propelled the Vietnamese national team to 23 consecutive unbeaten matches across all competitions, surpassing Thailand's record of 21 matches that had stood for nearly three decades.

The impressive run of Kim Sang Sik's side began with a 1-1 draw against India on October 12, 2024, right after their last defeat to Thailand in September 2024. Over nearly two years, the "Golden Dragons" have shown devastating form with 20 wins and 3 draws, scoring 61 goals and conceding only 10.

The journey of setting the record through the years for Vietnamese football:

2024 (7 matches): Started with a 1-1 draw against India, then successively defeated Laos (4-1), Indonesia (1-0), Myanmar (5-0), Singapore (2-0, 3-1), and drew with the Philippines (1-1).

2025 (8 matches): An impressive 8-match winning streak, including victories over Thailand (2-1, 3-2), Cambodia (2-1), Laos (5-0, 2-0), Nepal (3-1, 1-0), and a 3-0 win over Malaysia (by AFC decision).

2026 (8 matches): Continued the momentum with wins against Bangladesh (3-0), Malaysia (3-1, 2-0), Myanmar (4-0), Timor-Leste (7-0), Indonesia (3-0), Cambodia (3-1), and a draw with Singapore (0-0).

Even without counting the administrative 3-0 win over Malaysia, Vietnam still holds 22 consecutive unbeaten matches – a record sufficient to surpass Thailand's previous milestone.

Before Vietnam, Thailand had a 21-match unbeaten run from December 1995 to September 1996, consisting of 16 wins and five draws. This achievement was once considered an unbreakable milestone in regional football.

Unbeaten milestones of Southeast Asian national teams

With their current form, the Vietnamese national team has the opportunity to extend the record further in the second leg of the 2026 ASEAN Cup semi-finals against Malaysia. If they maintain their consistency, the 23-match mark could be significantly prolonged in the near future.