Vietnam National Team: 'A Bumper Harvest of Rice, Don't Forsake the Corn and Potatoes'

When Hoang Duc and Thanh Long delivered standout performances in the crucial Group A game against Indonesia, numerous spectators quickly overlooked Quang Hai, the Vietnam national team captain. There were even opinions suggesting that Hai "con" hindered the pace of the team's forward play.

Nguyen Hoang Duc, who has won three Vietnam Golden Balls, tying with Le Cong Vinh and just one short of Pham Thanh Luong's record, clearly demonstrates a level of play that far surpasses the rest of his generation.

Since 2016, when Hoang Duc first made a name for himself at the U19 National Championship finals in Nha Trang and was called up to the U19 Asian Championship squad, later participating in the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea, he has been a special talent. In South Korea, coach Hoang Anh Tuan even deployed him as a striker, with the result being ineffective. At that time, Hoang Duc was only 19, his ball-handling was still clumsy, and he was unsuited for the center-forward role.

In fact, when Duc was 15 and training with Viettel's youth team, the coaches sent him back to Hai Duong. However, the guarantee of a certain coach (who requested anonymity) allowed Hoang Duc to stay with the youth squad. And later, Vietnamese football gained a world-class midfielder, as we have seen.

Watching Hoang Duc play is truly a delight. Coach Kim Sang Sik and Hoang Duc even made a pact: if Duc attempted a dribble and lost the ball, he would not get another chance. Duc needs to have the ball and freedom to fully unleash his abilities.

But watching Quang Hai play, even before Hoang Duc, is even more enjoyable.

Ever since Hai "con" joined the Vietnam U19 team alongside Cong Phuong, Tuan Anh, Xuan Truong, and others in 2014, spectators have recognized him as a special case, a truly exceptional player. In other words, he didn't need to wait until the 2018 Changzhou snowstorm to prove his elite footballing ability. He had already joined the Hanoi FC first team and inherited the number 19 shirt of his idol Pham Thanh Luong before that. None of this happened by chance.

The issue here is not about comparing the abilities of different players. Squad selection depends on the coach, based on specific opponents and situations. Quang Hai and Hoang Duc have combined in many national team matches and tournaments, consistently providing service to the front line. Most recently, in the two matches against Timor-Leste and Singapore at the 2026 ASEAN Cup. The remaining question is simply the forwards' ability to convert those passes into goals.

Vietnam's place in the 2026 ASEAN Cup semifinals as Group A winners seems all but secured. In the upcoming home match against Cambodia at My Dinh Stadium, Quang Hai will naturally return to the starting lineup, alongside Xuan Son, Hoang Hen, and others. Hai "con"'s elite level of play has already been established; there is no need for further proof. Football is about results, and if Hai (along with Dinh Bac) helps Vietnam successfully defend the Southeast Asian championship in 2026, the Vietnam Golden Ball this year will surely go to one of these two players, as they have both won the V-League.

Hoang Duc remains one of the most beloved players, with his calm playing style and performances against top opponents. But Quang Hai has scored countless superb goals at a very young age. The pinnacle was his free-kick goal against Uzbekistan's U23s in the Changzhou snowstorm in January 2018. Before Hai "con", only Van Quyen had achieved something similar at the continental level, scoring against China's U16s in 2000, and no one has done so since Quang Hai.

Vietnam's professional football scene has around 800 players, yet only about 20 are selected for the national team—these must be exceptional individuals. Most of us are laymen when it comes to football; we should not criticize one player or put down another.

Today, the Vietnam national team will treat the home fans to a satisfying match at My Dinh Stadium. There, Nguyen Quang Hai will lead the charge!