In preparation for their upcoming match against Qatar U23 in the Doha Cup 2025, Thailand's U23 national football team is gearing up with optimism and experience. The midfielder, Seegsan Ratree, hopes to leverage the valuable insights gained from his experience with the senior national team to bolster the squad's performance.
The clash against Qatar U23 is slated for March 23, 2025, at 01:15 AM Thailand time, at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium. Thai football fans can catch the action live on True Visions NOW, channel Truesports2, as well as via Thai TV channel 32 and YouTube's BG SPORTS.
As excitement builds, Seegsan expressed confidence in the team's preparation, stating, “We have had two days of rest, and I believe everyone is ready to give their best in the match against Qatar. Our team still has areas to improve based on our first match, particularly regarding our understanding and relationships with each other, and we need to create more goal-scoring opportunities.”
Seegsan acknowledged the strength of the Qatari squad, describing them as a top-tier team in Asia. “I think Qatar is a good team, a top nation in Asia. They have physical advantages and fast ball speed,” he noted. He added that he intends to share the knowledge acquired from playing with the senior team to uplift his teammates. “I hope to help my friends and juniors on the team as much as I can, and I want Thai fans to cheer for Changsuek U23,” Seegsan urged.
This match follows the team’s earlier success against Afghanistan, where Coach Jonathas praised his players' efforts. “It was a tough game, and I’m glad the Thailand national team won against Afghanistan,” he said.
In a parallel vein, the Thailand U17 national team is also actively preparing for its own set of challenges, with aspirations for success in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup set to take place in Saudi Arabia from April 3 to 20. As of March 21, the U17 squad was training vigorously at Camp 7 in Qatar, honing their skills ahead of their upcoming friendly matches against Kuwait.
The U17’s midfielder, Bhanupong Wang-on, expressed optimism regarding their preparations. He stated, “Training in Qatar has been a good experience for us. The training facilities are excellent, and the weather is also favorable. We see our friendly match against Kuwait as an opportunity to test our strengths and weaknesses.”
Bhanupong noted that this match is critical for identifying areas for improvement within the team and personally. “We will try our best and seek out aspects we need to develop, both as a group and individually,” he emphasized. The collective goal, he said, is not only to excel in the championship but also to eventually qualify for the World Cup and bring joy to their fans.
The Thailand U17 team will be based at Aspire Academy until March 26 and will have two friendly matches against both Kuwait U17 and Qatar U17. This will help them fine-tune their squad before heading to Ta'if, Saudi Arabia, along with an additional warm-up match against Japan U17, after which they will finalize their roster, trimming it down to 23 players for the Asian Cup. The competition will see eight nations representing Asia at the FIFA U-17 World Cup scheduled for November in Qatar.
With both teams striving for greatness on international stages, the upcoming matches hold significant implications for the future of Thai football. As players seek to embody the spirit of perseverance and teamwork, fans remain eager to support their journeys, cheering for them in hopes of seeing the nation’s footballing ambitions realized.
