Vietnamese football is no longer overlooking talent.

Dinh Bac went through puberty late, Khuat Van Khang is too short, and even Ly Duc and Nhat Minh didn't have particularly outstanding physical attributes... Many U23 Vietnam players need an "upgrade" at Vietnam's new generation football training academies.

Training academies help elevate the stature of players like Ly Duc - Photo: AFC

"Do you know what Ajax, Benfica, or Lille do with the hundreds of millions of dollars they earn from selling off a generation of talented football players?"

"They reinvest in academies and help their 'adopted' teams in Africa, or in other countries, upgrading everything there, and taking in thousands of kids every year, with the goal of not leaving anyone out," said English scout Nick Levett.

Football is a complex team game, and naturally, so is training young players. A good player needs many qualities, from innate technical skill and footballing intelligence to the physical attributes suited to modern sports .

Too many children possess the intelligence and natural talent for football, but grow up in poor families with inadequate nutrition. As a result, they lack the physique suitable for modern football standards and are gradually discarded from youth teams.

"It's a waste," Nick Levett concluded. And as everyone can see, in the "lower regions" of football, the waste is even greater.

Following the development of the economy , science, nutrition, and the application of science to sports, the waste of talent in football is gradually decreasing.

With professional football academies in Vietnam, children who enter before puberty hardly have to worry about being underdeveloped or stunted.

Former national team player Nguyen Quoc Trung, now a coach at the PVF Academy, shared: "The selection criteria for entry into the PVF Center require both physical fitness and footballing intelligence."

However, if the young player is shorter than their peers but has better technique, we may still accept them. Even if they are very small (skinny).

Because we have a team of sports scientists who can measure bone structure and calculate the maximum height the children will reach later in life. No matter how short or scrawny they are, once they reach their maximum height, almost all of them can play professional football."

It was almost a promise, similar to the motto of the renowned La Masia academy: "If you have a good footballing mindset, you will become a star here."

And indeed, fans can see that in recent years, it is very rare for young Vietnamese players to fail to progress due to physical weaknesses.

Take Khuất Văn Khang, for example, who is less than 1.7m tall. From the age of 16-17, Văn Khang was given a physical development strategy by the sports science team at the Viettel academy to suit his modest height.

"Khang is short and doesn't have long legs, so we want him to go to the gym to increase his thigh muscles and lower his center of gravity even further. This will allow him to take advantage of his low center of gravity, making him better at tackling, balancing, and maintaining his balance," shared sports science expert Le Cao Cuong, who previously worked for Viettel.

Even a small and lightweight player like Khuất Văn Khang (center) can compete extremely strongly - Photo courtesy.

That's the strength of science. The science of human physiology – when applied from the very first training sessions – will help prevent children from becoming stunted.

And as the next generation of trainees, teenagers, approaches, physical science delves even deeper into the details.

A player under 1.8m tall can still play center back well if they have strong jumping ability. Or a small player can be exceptionally strong in tackles, and a very tall player can be very stable...

"In the past, those factors were all attributed to a player's 'mindset' or 'talent'. Today, people understand that a team of experts and coaches is needed to support every player in achieving those things," said Le Cao Cuong.

"Previously, it was true that players with short stature and light weight could be eliminated because they didn't meet the standards. But now, science and technology are very helpful in the selection process, ensuring that no talent is overlooked," added coach Nguyen Quoc Trung.

HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/bong-da-viet-nam-da-khong-con-bo-sot-nhan-tai-20260210222032827.htm