The French coach's three-year contract with the VFF will begin on March 1, 2023 and end on July 31, 2026.

Highlighting his honor for and the importance of his upcoming job, Troussier said he does not have to start from scratch because his predecessor, Park Hang-seo, left a great legacy with a competitive squad.

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VFF President Tran Quoc Tuan (fourth from left) presents a bouquet and a shirt to head coach Philippe Troussier at the ceremony.

The new coach noted that his knowledge about the Vietnamese teams will also be valuable for him in the journey ahead.

A series of tournaments await Troussier and his teams such as the 2023 SEA Games, 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers, and 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with the tactician and his coworkers already preparing plans for them.

FIFA's expansion of the 2026 World Cup format to 48 teams is an opportunity for the Vietnamese team, he said, adding that the big goal of succeeding at the tournament’s qualifiers is ambitious but possible.

Troussier, born in 1955, is not a new face to Vietnam. He worked as a strategic adviser and then technical director at the Promotion Fund of Vietnamese Football Talent (PVF) Academy in 2018.

One year later, he was appointed head coach of Vietnam's U19 squad and led the team to qualify for the 2020 U19 AFC Championship, which was later canceled due to COVID-19. He left after his contract with VFF expired in June 2021.

The Frenchman has been dubbed the "White Witch Doctor" for his successful stint in Africa. His international career peaked during his time in Japan (1998 - 2002), when his team won the 2000 AFC Asian Cup.

Source: VNA