As one of the most popular rivalries in Southeast Asia, matches between Thailand and Vietnam often attract huge attention from the media and supporters in both countries.

[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] The Thailand and Vietnam national football teams first faced each other (after Vietnamese reunification) at the 1995 SEA Games in Chiang Mai.

[1] Historically, Thailand is the most successful side in Southeast Asian men's football, winning a total of 7 AFF Championship titles as opposed to Vietnam's 3 (as of 2025).

However, after a unified Vietnam returned to international football in 1991, Thailand displayed remarkable domination when they recorded 17 wins, 9 draws, and only 5 losses.

[13][14] One of Vietnam's most memorable victories against Thailand since its reintegration was in the 2008 AFF Championship final when a 2–1 win in the first leg in Bangkok set them up for their first-ever regional title, which they secured after a 1–1 draw in Hanoi.