Young Elephants FC

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Young Elephants
Young Elephants logo.png
Full nameYoung Elephants Association Football Club
Nickname(s)The Elephants
Short nameYE
Founded2015;10 years ago (2015)
Ground New Laos National Stadium
Capacity25,000
PresidentJason Lim
Head coach Phoutpasong Sengdalavong
League Lao League 1
2024–25 Lao League 1, 2nd of 8
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

Young Elephants Association Football Club is a professional football club based in Vientiane, Laos. It competes in the Lao League 1. It is owned by Singaporean businessman Jason Lim since 2018. It has won 2 league titles (back to back undefeated) and 1 Lao FF Cup.

Contents

In 2019, the club took part in the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup in Chittagong, Bangladesh. [1]

History

Young Elephants were founded in 2015 by the Lao Football Federation (LFF) with the aim of giving exposure to footballers aged 16 to 19 years old and helping them launch their professional careers. But in 2017, the LFF gave up ownership of the club due to rules around club licensing and privatisation and sought out Jason Lim, who was well known to the federation due to his voluntary work as team manager for the Laos under-23 between 2009 and 2017. A year later, Jason Lim took the reins and roped in other Singaporeans based in Laos which are Kevin Pereira and Philip Tay as the club board members. Yet, this has required significant outlay. Since 2018, Jason Lim has been the president and chairman of the Young Elephants, injecting his passion and resources into the team. Jason Lim said that he has spent close to $1 million since taking over the club and also visits Peninsula Plaza back in Singapore each year to buy the latest football boots for the whole squad so that his players "truly feel like professional players with the bulk of the expenditure has gone towards raising players salaries. Under Jason Lim’s visionary leadership, the Young Elephants experienced a meteoric rise in the Laotian football landscape. What makes the Young Elephants’ achievements even more astounding is the fact that the players comprise approximately 80% of the Laos national team. Their dominance on the domestic front is a testament to their talent and influence within the country. Young Elephants have cultivated a culture of unity, determination, and hard work under the guidance of their Singaporean head coach, Satyasagara, who took charge of the club in March 2022. His coaching philosophy goes beyond the tactical aspects of the game with him winning the league undefeated back to back in both season. Satyasagara has created an environment where each player feels valued and understood. By establishing a deep bond with his team, the coach has fostered a sense of trust and camaraderie that fuels their on-field performances.

Back-to-back Invincibles (2022–2023)

In the 2022 season, the Young Elephants embarked on a remarkable Lao League 1 campaign that would go down in the history of Laos football. With an unbeaten run that spanned the entire league, they asserted their authority on the pitch. Out of the 18 matches they played, the Elephants emerged victorious in 13 and secured five draws, amassing 44 points.Their tally was a resounding 11 points ahead of their nearest challengers, Master 7, leaving no doubt that they were the deserving 2022 Lao League 1 champions. After securing their maiden Lao League 1 title, the Young Elephants faced the daunting challenge of defending their crown in the 2023 season. Many wondered if they could maintain the same level of dominance and go undefeated once again. The answer came with resounding clarity. Once again, the Elephants proved their indomitable spirit by remaining unbeaten and clinching their second consecutive Lao League 1 championship. Out of the 14 games played in the 2023 season, the Elephants emerged winners in 12 and secured two draws, demonstrating their unyielding hunger for success.

AFC Cup debut

Young Elephants make their 2022 AFC Cup debut being drawn in Group I with Viettel from Vietnam, Hougang United from Singapore and Phnom Penh Crown from Cambodia, however, the club suffered a defeat to all of them and crash out from the group stage.

Young Elephants also played in the 2023–24 AFC Cup qualifying play-off facing against Phnom Penh Crown in the 2nd preliminary round but lost 3–0 thus didnt qualified to the 2023–24 AFC Cup.

Young Elephants also qualified to the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League directly after winning the 2023 Lao League 1. Young Elephants was also invited to the 2024–25 ASEAN Club Championship but was drawn in the qualifying round against Cambodian club Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng. Young Elephants lost 8–3 on aggregate and didn't qualified which they turned their main focus on the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League. The club was then drawn in Group D alongside Taiwanese club Tainan City and Myanmar club Shan United. Young Elephants bowed out from the tournament after losing 2–0 to Shan United and 3–2 to Tainan City with Indonesian Brylian Aldama becoming the only player to score in the tournament for the club

Team Image

Young Elephants home games are played at the New Laos National Stadium. Stadium Laos National Stadium.jpg
Young Elephants home games are played at the New Laos National Stadium.

Stadium

Young Elephants play their home matches at the New Laos National Stadium. The stadium is located about 17 km from the centre of Vientiane City and comprises a 25,000-seat capacity stadium.

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

PeriodKit ManufacturerSponsors
2019–present Flag of Thailand.svg FBT

2024–present

Affiliated clubs

Players

As of 8 February 2025 [2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Solasak Thilavong
2 DF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Thatsaphone Khampanit
3 DF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Sengvilay Chanthasili
4 DF Flag of Brazil.svg  BRA Maycom Carvalho
6 DF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Kittisak Phomvongsa
7 FW Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Vilay Kulangsy
8 MF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Anousone Xaypanya
9 FW Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Kydavone Souvanny
10 FW Flag of Japan.svg  JPN Shogo Akiba
11 MF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Souphan Khambaion
13 FW Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Lavi Somthongkham
14 MF Flag of Japan.svg  JPN Ryosuke Maeda
15 DF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Thipphachanh Inthavong
18 MF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Phahatxay Keomany
No.Pos.NationPlayer
19 DF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Kadam Koneyer
20 DF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Sengdaovy Hanthavong
21 GK Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Anoulak Vilaphone
22 MF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Phithack Kongmathilath
23 MF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Phouthone Innalay
25 FW Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Phetsavanh Bounsoulinh
26 DF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Phonsak Sisavath
30 MF Flag of Japan.svg  JPN Yuta Suzuki
32 MF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Chanthaphone Waenvongsoth
47 FW Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Thavisok Latsavong
77 MF Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  UZB Saveliy Abramov
89 GK Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Outthilath Nammakhoth
99 FW Flag of Japan.svg  JPN Takumu Nishihara

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
17 MF Flag of Laos.svg  LAO Bounphachan Bounkong (to Flag of Cambodia.svg Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng)

Technical staff

PositionName
President Flag of Singapore.svg Jason Lim
CEO Flag of Laos.svg Bon Soundala
Vice-president 1 Flag of Singapore.svg Kevin Pereira
Vice-president 2 Flag of Laos.svg Douangmany Souvannavong
General secretary Flag of Singapore.svg Jeremy Choong
Team manager Flag of Germany.svg Patrick Riedener
EXCO member Flag of Singapore.svg Philip Tay
Head coach Flag of Laos.svg Phoutpasong Sengdalavong
Assistant coach Flag of Laos.svg Sengvilay Chanthasily
Goalkeeping coach Flag of Laos.svg Vilasack Vanthanoulath
Physiotherapist Flag of Laos.svg Tom Douangphachanh
Kit manager Flag of Laos.svg Vongphachan Phoummeethone
Flag of Laos.svg Anouluck Sibounnavong
Director of football Flag of Scotland.svg Andrew Woodward

Manager history

NamePeriod
Flag of Laos.svg Bounma Patthammavong January

2018

Flag of Laos.svg Kanlaya Sysomvang February

2018

Flag of Laos.svg Kovanh Namthavixay January

2019

Flag of Singapore.svg Perianan Sugunan January

2020

Flag of Laos.svg Bounlap Khenkitisack March

2021

Flag of Singapore.svg Satyasagara March

2022–2023

Flag of Laos.svg Phoutpasong Sengdalavong May

2024-

Continental record

AFC

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
2022 AFC Cup Group I Flag of Vietnam.svg Viettel 1–54th
Flag of Singapore.svg Hougang United 1–3
Flag of Cambodia.svg Phnom Penh Crown 2–4
2023–24 AFC Cup Preliminary round 2 Flag of Cambodia.svg Phnom Penh Crown 0–30–3
2024–25 AFC Challenge League Group D Flag of Myanmar.svg Shan United 0–23th
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg Tainan City 2–3

AFF

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
2024–25 ASEAN Club Championship Qualifying play-off Flag of Cambodia.svg Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng 2–31–53–8

References

  1. "Sheikh Kamal Cup 2019: Gokulam Kerala stuns Bashundhara Kings 3–1". Sportstar. 22 October 2019. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  2. "Player list in Laos League 1 season 2024–25". 22 September 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.