In an article posted on its homepage, the Asian Football Confederation rated striker Pham Tuan Hai as one of the most notable players at the 2023 Asian Cup.
Since reaching the quarter-finals of the 2019 Asian Cup, Vietnam has added many new stars to the squad, and Pham Tuan Hai has made him one of the most talked about players in Southeast Asia.
The striker adds dynamism to Vietnam's already talented attack. This will be the launching pad for coach Philippe Troussier, who will replace his predecessor Park Hang-seo in early 2023, to bring the "Golden Stars" to the knockout round for the second consecutive time. Tuan Hai is a player who can light up the Asian Cup. The Hanoi FC striker has shown his ability in recent tournaments, including the group stage of the 2023-2024 AFC Champions League.
Article about Tuan Hai on AFC homepage on December 27, 2023. Screenshot
Tuan Hai made his professional debut for rookie Ha Tinh in the 2020 V-League. In his first season, he played 20 matches, scored three goals and helped the club finish third. Tuan Hai showed consistency, scoring four goals in the following season and was called up to the national team for the first time in the match against Oman in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. This was a stepping stone for him to Hanoi FC and quickly became one of the most watched strikers in the Vietnamese national championship.
Thirteen goals and four assists in a stellar 2022 season signaled that Vietnam had a new star on their hands. Tuan Hai became the top-scoring domestic striker, leading Hanoi to a treble of V-League, National Cup and National Super Cup. He also played four times in the World Cup qualifiers and scored his first goal for the national team against Afghanistan. This milestone confirmed Tuan Hai's growing importance to the national team. Finally, the Hanoi FC striker was called up for his first major tournament - the 2022 AFF Cup. He contributed an assist in the opening match against Laos as Vietnam reached the final in coach Park Hang-seo's farewell tournament.
After coach Philippe Troussier took over, Tuan Hai started more often. He scored against Syria and Palestine, and started both matches against the Philippines and Iraq in the recent Asian qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup. The 25-year-old striker has also maintained his high form in the V-League and scored in the early stages of the 2023-2024 season.
However, it was the AFC Champions League that helped Tuan Hai make his name in Hanoi FC’s first appearance in the continent’s premier club competition. Four goals and one assist in impressive form, including a late winner, helped Hanoi win and eliminate defending champions Urawa Red Diamonds from the tournament. This performance helped Tuan Hai reach a wider audience and now he will hope to make a similar impact when he plays for Vietnam in Qatar.
The 2023 Asian Cup will take place from January 12, 2024 to February 10, 2024. The 24 teams will be divided into six groups, playing a round-robin to select the six first-place teams, six second-place teams and four best third-place teams to advance to the round of 16. Vietnam is in Group D, facing Japan on January 14, Indonesia on January 19 and Iraq on January 24.
Duy Doan (according to AFC )
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