Vietnamese players at the SEA V.League. (Photo: VNA)
On the evening of July 20, Indonesia edged out Thailand 3-2 in the final match of Leg 2 in Jakarta, clinching the gold medal. That victory also secured Vietnam’s silver medal, after their 3-1 win over the Philippines, with the final standings depending on the outcome of Indonesia – Thailand match.
Despite winning the fourth set, Thailand ultimately fell 2-3, ending their streak of three consecutive SEA V.League leg titles and settling for bronze. For Vietnam, the silver medal marked a significant breakthrough, especially considering that just a year ago, the team finished last in both legs of the tournament. In 2025, they improved to win bronze in Leg 1 and now silver in Leg 2.
Following the freshly-ended tournament, Volleytrails, a regional volleyball-focused news outlet, highlighted Vietnam's achievement.
“Indonesia captures the gold medal after a five-set victory over Thailand: 27-29, 25-15, 25-23, 22-25, 15-13. Vietnam claims silver, while Thailand settles for bronze. Congratulations!” the outlet said on its Facebook post.
Volleytrails also recognised individual excellence, praising Vietnamese players for earning individual awards. Ngoc Thuan was named Best Outside Hitter, while Duy Tien received the Best Middle Blocker title.
The team’s remarkable performance also reflects in the latest FIVB men’s world rankings, where Vietnam now sits at 59th with 63.86 points, just 0.06 points behind Thailand (58th, 63.92 points).
Meanwhile, Indonesia surged to 49th place with 78.41 points.
