Regarding VAR In The 2025 AFF U-23 Cup Final, Vanenburg: It Should Have Been From The Beginning

JAKARTA - The U-23 Indonesian national team coach, Gerald Vanenburg, welcomed the implementation of the video assistant referee (VAR) in the 2025 AFF U-23 Cup finals. In addition, he suggested that VAR should have been implemented from the start, before the final round.

It is known that the new VAR will be applied in the 2025 AFF U-23 Cup during the final match. In that party, the U-23 Indonesian national team will face Vietnam U-23 at the Gelora Bung Karno (SUGBK) Main Stadium, Jakarta, on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, evening WIB.

"There is a VAR tomorrow (in the final) which is certainly an extraordinary thing, but actually VAR must be used in previous matches because there were many incidents in the previous match that needed help from VAR," said Gerald Vanenburg during a press conference session at SUGBK, Monday, July 28, 2025.

Ahead of the decisive match, Vanenburg is optimistic that he can achieve good results. The Dutch tactician will try to convince the player to win the match in 90 minutes without additional dramas.

"We want to win 90 minutes against Vietnam. Of course if we have to face a penalty shootout, it depends on the mentality of the players and luck."

"We saw in the semifinals, the mentality of the children was extraordinary and we were lucky. However, we wouldn't worry if we had to shoot penalties in the final," Vanenburg said.

Although it is possible that there will be a high-five round in determining the championship, Vanenburg admits that he has not prepared special training for penalties. He argues that his team will finish the match as much as possible in normal time.

"We're not going to practice it (penalty), but we're sure we'll win if there has to be a penalty shootout."

"Indeed, we will try to win 90 minutes, not definitely we will win in 90 minutes. We respect Vietnam as a good opponent, so we will give our best," he said.