Park Hang-seo will no longer coach the national football team after the AFF 2022. (Photo: VOV)

The news was confirmed by VFF in its statement released in Hanoi on Monday. Both sides agreed not to extend the contract after five years of collaboration, and the AFF Cup 2022 in December will be Park’s last tournament in his capacity as chief coach of the Vietnam national football team.

Park said he would remember the five-year journey with Vietnamese football, describing it as memorable and exciting, according to the VFF statement.

VFF affirmed that the decision comes from ‘mutual understanding’ and ‘desire for a prosperous future for both sides’. It said Park would maintain a close partnership and expect to develop Vietnamese football.

Park signed a contract with VFF to coach the national team in late 2017. Under his instructions, Vietnam won a silver medal at the 2018 Asian U23 Championship, took the AFF Cup 2018 trophy, and entered the quarterfinals of the AFC Asian Cup 2019. The national team also twice won a gold medal at the SEA Games 2019 & 2021 and entered the final qualifying round of the World Cup 2022 for the first time.

Vietnam also maintained their top position in Southeast Asia, and kept the position as the longest-serving Southeast Asian country in FIFA’s top 100. The Korean coach has twice extended his contract with VFF, in 2019 and 2021.