Madam Dear tells fans to keep faith in 'War Elephants' despite setback
Former Thai national youth football team manager Watanya “Madam Dear” Bunnag on Friday urged Thai supporters not to lose faith in the “War Elephants” after they lost to China in the opening World Cup qualifier match.
The 1-2 loss to China on Thursday has made Thailand’s route to the 2026 World Cup bumpier.
Watanya on Friday urged fans to continue cheering the Thai national team despite the setback.
“Thai fans, both inside and outside the stadium, are all in great pain, but in this situation we should not lose our belief,” she wrote in her Facebook post.
“Today, both players and staff need encouragement to fight for the rest of the matches. Do your best, don’t give up, and keep moving,” she said.
The post was also tagged for Nualphan Lamsam, the current manager of the Thailand national football team, as a gesture of support.
In pouring rain at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, the War Elephants took the lead in the 23rd minute thanks to a stunning volley from midfielder Sarach Yooyen. But China’s captain Wu Lei levelled scores in the 29th.
A 74th-minute header by Wang Shangyuan secured victory for the visitors.
The defeat ignited widespread criticism from Thai supporters, with many questioning head coach Mano Pölking's selection of the starting XI.
Mano told the media after the game that he was disappointed with the result and it was far below his expectations.
He, however, reassured that the team would return stronger and that the door to Thailand's World Cup qualification was not shut yet.
Next Tuesday, Thailand will play Singapore. Thailand have suffered a setback as top player Chanathip Songkrasin, dubbed "Thailand's Messi”, may miss the match due to an injury.
