BANGKOK: Seven-times champions Thailand came into the Asean Hyundai Cup 2026 holding the record for the most wins in the competition’s history, but for striker Teerasak Poephimai the desire to claim his first regional crown is driving the 23-year-old to new heights.
The Port FC striker was a runner-up with Thailand at the Asean U-23 Championship in 2022 and has twice won silver at the South-East Asian (SEA) Games, meaning the thrill of winning his maiden trophy at international level continues to spur him on.
“That has given me a lot of motivation,” Teerasak says. “I have never won a title with the national team before, so I really want to achieve that at least once.”
He has already played his part in Thailand’s surge through the opening phase, scoring twice in three appearances as Anthony Hudson’s side emerged unscathed from Group B with four wins from four matches and without conceding a goal.
Teerasak started and scored in Thailand’s opening two matches, against Laos and Malaysia, before featuring from the bench in the 1-0 win over the Philippines as the War Elephants underlined their status as one of the tournament favourites.
“I’m very happy that we managed to reach the semi-finals,” he says as the Thais prepare to face Singapore over two legs, starting at Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday.
“I think we performed well during the group stage. As for the match against Singapore, I hope we can get the win and progress to the final.”
Thailand’s dominance in the group phase came after Hudson selected a squad featuring a mixture of youth and experience, with the majority of players still at the start of their pre-season preparations ahead of the upcoming Thai League 1 campaign.
The need to manage his players’ exertions while dealing with the regular rigours of tournament football and the demands from Thai fans have added to the challenge for the players seeking to reclaim a trophy lost in the previous edition to Vietnam.
“There is some pressure, especially because we missed out on the title last time,” says Teerasak. “That is why we are determined to do our best and bring the trophy back home.
“When I feel pressure, I try to relax as much as possible and take a deep breath. Once I’m out on the pitch, the pressure usually disappears because everyone in the team works together and helps each other.”
Teerasak is one of a glut of gifted strikers currently available to the national team, sharing the attacking duties in the group phase at the tournament with Yotsakon Burapha and Jehhanafee Mamah while Patrik Gustavsson is expected to be fit for the semi-final.
That quartet is bolstered by those who have not been selected for the competition, including the likes of Supachai Chaided and Suphanat Mueanta, giving Hudson an array of attacking talent from which to select.
Ominously for the rest of the region, Teerasak – who was top scorer at the Asean U-23 Championship in 2022 – believes those options will only improve.
“Each of them is an important player for their club, so they can contribute a lot to the national team as well,” he says of his colleagues. “Also, with more foreign players coming into the league this year, we have more opportunities to learn from them.
“At the same time, their presence pushes us to keep improving and raise our own standards.”
