After impressive wins over the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam in the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022, Cambodia rank third in Group A with six points.
With their final match against Thailand still to come after New Year’s Day, Cambodia have a genuine chance of making the semi-finals for the first time in the nation’s history.
Coached by the world-renowned Japanese star Keisuke Honda, their rise has been eagerly charted by fans across the continent.
With their recent results, Cambodia and Honda appear to be a match made in heaven. However, given the strange circumstances around his appointment, barely anyone would have expected things to improve so emphatically for the Angkor Warriors.
Follow along with Main Stand’s freelance writer Gian Chansrichawla for a deep dive into the history of the Cambodian national team and their remarkable journey under the stewardship of Keisuke Honda.
Cambodia before Honda
Despite the country’s huge interest in football, the Angkor Warriors don’t particularly have much history to speak of as a national team.
Their only appearance in the AFC Asian Cup came in 1972 when the tournament was hosted by neighbors Thailand. Under the name Khmer Republic, the side managed a 4-0 over Kuwait, enough to reach the semi-finals of the six-team tournament. They were then eliminated by Iran in the knockout match.
Cambodia’s only chance to compete regularly on the international stage has been at the AFF Cup, which was formed in 1996. They’ve qualified for nine of the tournament’s 14 editions thus far, and have established themselves as regulars on the regional stage.
However, they have historically struggled to get results at the tournament. Of their eight previous attempts, they ended four with no points and the rest with a solitary win, invariably against the team ranked below them in the group.
Progress may be slow, but in the context of the region, there is plenty to be encouraged about.
The national team’s top 10 appearance makers all started their careers at the turn of the century.
Cambodia’s domestic league is competitive and runs fairly consistently by the standards of the region.
Infrastructure improvements include the construction of the 60,000-seater Morodok Techo National Stadium, a symbol of national pride and a great monument to their recent progress.
However, the decision that would completely change their regional fortune took place in August 2018.
A legend arrives
You’ll be hard-pressed to a football fan who hasn’t heard of Keisuke Honda.
Considered one of Japan’s all-time greats, the mercurial attacking midfielder has made 98 appearances for the Japanese national team, scoring 37 goals.
He spent his best years at CSKA Moscow and Italian giants AC Milan, and at his peak, arguably held the mantle of Asia’s best player.
His globe-trotting feats continued well into his mid-30s, rejecting calls to return to his native J.League and instead test his talents in far various far-flung footballing locations.
These include spells with Pachuca in Mexico, Botafogo in Brazil, Melbourne Victory FC in Australia, Netfçi Baku in Azerbaijan and FK Sūduva in Lithuania.
Possibly his strangest career decision, however, was when he agreed to manage the Cambodia national football team in 2018 - while still playing for Melbourne Victory.
According to his arrangement with the Cambodian FA, Honda would hold weekly (presumably online) meetings with the Angkor Warriors’ coaching staff, and be on the touchline for the side’s international fixtures.
He would be assisted by another head coach alongside him, initially Felix Dalmas until 2020, and later Honda’s countryman Ryu Hirose.
“I would like to help the Cambodian team to have one clear style of playing and promote the country to the outside world,” Honda said in a press conference shortly after taking the role.
Many in the region initially scoffed at the decision, seeing it as little more than a publicity stunt. Observers were left even more bemused when Honda made no less than four further transfers as a player while managing the Cambodian national team, none of which brought him any closer to the side he was coaching.
Critics questioned whether Honda could commit the time and energy needed to improve Cambodia while pursuing his playing career and wondered if such an unconventional deal could provide any benefits.
Trusting the process
Given the odd nature of his appointment, many expected Honda would need to make an instant impact to win people over. To the contrary, he has been given plenty of time to work his magic on the team, and early uncertainty has given way to a substantial uptick in performances.
His first assignment as a coach, the 2018 AFF Cup, went much the same way as the side’s previous tournaments - three points collected, thanks to a 3-1 victory over bottom-placed Laos.
The Angkor Warriors managed to see off Pakistan in World Cup Qualifying in early 2019 but picked up just a solitary point in their group with Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, and Hong Kong.
The regional tournament two years later was a close replica; their only points came from a 3-0 win over Laos. However, the same results obscured signs of substantial progress.
Their 2020 squad saw a stunning 12 players under the age of 21, compared to just five in Honda’s first tournament. This new crop was led by the exciting Sieng Chanthea, who successfully guided the side through the qualifying stage for the U19 AFC Asian Cup for the first time in the nation’s history.
Meanwhile, players like Chan Vathanaka and Chreng Polroth had experienced football abroad and brought their experiences back to help the national team.
“I have changed a lot since he came,” explains Chanthea, in an interview for Keisuke Honda’s YouTube channel. “Before, I didn’t know what it meant to be a professional. But since he began coaching the Cambodia national team, we’ve been learning how to train and live as professional players.”
His influence on the side, especially in man-management, has been clear for all to see. His motivational speeches have been doing the rounds on social media, and all indications suggest that the players are willing to run through walls for their head coach.
Digging beyond the results, the signs of improvement were there. However, nobody would have anticipated things to go Honda’s way quite so emphatically in 2022.
Cambodia’s greatest-ever tournament
Even before a ball is kicked at the Thammasat Stadium on January 2, 2023, Cambodia have already made this current edition their best-ever AFF Cup campaign.
Their tournament began with a remarkable 3-2 victory over the Philippines. Though the Azkals’ squad was missing many star players, the side still posed a formidable threat on the regional level.
Quick-fire goals from Reung Bunheing and Orn Chanpolin put the hosts in front before a brace from Kenshiro Daniels leveled the scoring.
However, Bunheing struck again with a header past Kevin Ray Mendoza in the Philippines’ net, sealing all three points for his side.
The 2-1 defeat to Indonesia on Matchday 2 still came with an encouraging performance for Honda’s men, who remained competitive throughout the 90 at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.
The players then returned home for the fixture which could prove decisive; the must-win game against Brunei. Finally faced with the prospect of being favorites, Cambodia were stunned to find themselves a goal behind when Nur Ikhwan Othman struck the opener after 21 minutes.
But one of Honda’s biggest achievements has been the confidence and mental strength he has instilled in the squad.
Defender Choun Chanchav leveled the scoring 10 minutes later followed by new diaspora recruit Nick Taylor, who scored his first goal for his mother’s homeland from the penalty spot.
With momentum now in their favor, the goals started to flow. Keo Sokpheng put away a second penalty before Lim Pisoth added a brace in the final ten minutes to secure a dominant 5-1 win.
Now on six points heading into the final match against Thailand, only a win would take them into the knockout stage for the first time in history.
Given Cambodia’s current form, a task that would have once been deemed impossible suddenly feels doable.
Regardless of the result against their neighbors, Keisuke Honda and the 2022 AFF Cup Angkor Warriors will forever be etched into Cambodian football history.
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cGCCH_dXjs
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/aug/12/keisuke-honda-to-coach-cambodia-national-team-while-playing-in-a-league
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodia_national_football_team#AFF_Championship
