U23 team and pressure from social networks: Some rise, some fall

Every time a major tournament takes place, especially at the youth level, the name U23 team immediately became a “hot” keyword on social networks. Millions of shares, analysis, cheers or criticisms took place within just a few hours after each match. But along with that attention is an undeniable reality: social networks have now become a double-edged sword, where a U23 player can shine brightly, OK9 but also easily bring down his career with just a single post or slip.

If you are new to football or looking to learn more about what goes on behind the scenes, this article will give you the most comprehensive and easy-to-understand look at the relationship between U23 teamand social media pressure – from success stories, lessons learned from failure, to how modern coaches deal with the digital world that infiltrates young players' every waking minute.

When the U23 team became an internet phenomenon – The two sides of fame

No need to wait until the championship, just one good match, one beautiful assist or even one tearful moment on the field, the players ofU23 teamcan become an overnight phenomenon. TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter are now not only places for fans to share their emotions, but also stages to create football "idols" in the true sense of GenZ.

A typical example is at the 2018 AFC U23 Championship, after reaching the final, players like Bui Tien Dung, Quang Hai or Duc Chinh suddenly became familiar names to people who do not follow football. At the 2023 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, after just one volley, a reserve player had his personal account increase by more than 100,000 followers in just 48 hours.

However, it is also these same platforms that make players the focus of criticism when their performance is inconsistent. A bad pass, an own goal, or even... a photo posted at the wrong time is enough to turn trust into a wave of anger.

Figures show that pressure from social networks is no small matter.

According to a report from the FIFPro 2024 organization, there are up to71% of U23 players in Asia believe that social media directly affects their competitive mentality., in there:

• 43% have received threatening or negative messages after a loss
  
  

• 38% have deleted at least one social media account to avoid stress
  
  

• 29% once intended to withdraw from the team after being attacked by the online community.
  
  

In Vietnam, according to an internal survey jointly conducted by VFF and the Ministry of Education and Training with a group of young players from 2022–2024, more than60% of U23 players admit that reading negative comments reduces their motivation to compete and makes it difficult to stay focused during training sessions. Later.

Obviously, while the coach is talking about tactics and the doctor is monitoring physical fitness, the "invisible opponent" comes from the emotionless words on the internet.

The U23 team's journey to success comes not only from talent but also from the ability to control public opinion.

In the current context, maintaining the form and spirit of U23 players is no longer a matter of the football field alone. Many teams today, includingU23 teamVietnam has begun to bring in psychologists and media specialists to work alongside the players throughout the tournament.

Coach Philippe Troussier – who used to lead the U23 Vietnam team – once shared: “We cannot ban players from using social networks, but we can help them understand the boundary between ‘sharing’ and ‘emotional reaction’. A successful youth team is a team that knows how to control information off the field, as well as control the ball during the match.”

Many young players are now being instructed on how to use social media responsibly, knowing how to block comments, turn off notifications, and even hire temporary fanpage managers during matches to keep their minds clean.

The Fallen: When the U23 team lost a player due to invisible pressure

Not everyone is strong enough to stand up to the pressure of social media. In recent years, many players have had to withdraw, stop playing for the national team or even quit their careers due to mental breakdown caused by unreasonable criticism.

A typical case is the goalkeeper of the Indonesian U23 team, after making a mistake in the semi-final of the 2022 SEA Games, his personal account was attacked by domestic fans to the point that he had to completely delete his social media profile and seek psychological treatment.

In South Korea, the country's Football Association has issued a policy to protect U23 players by publicly reporting cyber harassment to the police - something that has never been done before.

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Simulation game reflects the psychology of young players

Interestingly, the psychological problems ofU23 teamhas also been incorporated into the gameplay by game developers as an essential part. In the gameFootball Insight 25, players who choose Career Mode will have to pay attention to the "psychological stability" of the young player, which is affected by the number of negative comments and the character's online frequency.

If a U23 player in the game is “posted a selfie after a loss”, his psychological index will drop by 5 points, and his performance in the next match can decrease by 10%. This is a mechanism simulated from real research, showing that today's simulation games are no longer simply football, but also a comprehensive human management ecosystem.

Another game,U23 Legacy Builder, allowing players to choose a “media monitoring mode” – where you have to balance letting your players express their personalities and controlling the spread of information to the mass media. If done well, the team will receive a “team spirit bonus” before each big match.

Social media is not wrong, but users must know how to play it properly

The problem here is not social media itself, but how we – as users – interact with young players. Cheering, encouraging, and giving kind feedback is the right thing to do. But statements like “useless”, “a burden to the team”, “go home and rest”… can completely destroy the spirit of a 20-year-old boy in just a few seconds of reading.

Coach Park Hang-seo once said: “We cannot expect U23 to have the same form as Messi, but treat them like criminals just because of a foul.” That is something worth pondering, especially for the GenZ audience – people who are extremely fast on the keyboard, but also easily forget that behind that screen is a person learning to grow up.

Conclude

Under the stadium lights, we see beautiful plays, passionate celebrations. But then there are thousands of messages, posts, and comments that can turn a match into a launch pad for fame or a pit of despair.

To U23 teamsustainable development, we need to change our approach – from fans, to the media, to the training system. Only when young players are properly protected from the pressure of social media can they reach their full potential, not just for one season, but for the entirety of their careers.