Vietnam entered the tournament after coach Philippe Troussier terminated his contract in March 2024. Coach Hoang Anh Tuan took over, with about 10 years of experience in youth football. He brought Vietnam to the U19 Asian Cup in 2016 and qualified for the U17 World Cup.
Vietnam's lineup have five U21 players while Kuwait only have two. Vietnam has six players over 1.75 m tall, while Kuwait has only two such players, both in the defense.
Kuwaiti football has been in decline over the past 20 years, with achievements lower than Vietnam's. They couldn't pass the U23 Asian Cup group stage or the Asian Cup. They haven't even won a match at U23 Asian Cup.