The aching shoulder and the warrior spirit.

Despite being locked up, Xuan Son was still very clever.

As the brightest star of the Vietnamese national team with three impressive performances against Myanmar and Singapore (first and second legs), Nguyen Xuan Son probably anticipated what would happen in the first leg of the 2024 AFF Cup final against Thailand. He would be tightly marked by Thailand's central defenders Pansa Hemviboon and Chalermsak Aukkee, who might even resort to foul play and dirty tactics to neutralize him. Every pass towards Xuan Son would be closely monitored, and when he had the ball, at least two Thai players would swarm him to block him. That's exactly what happened at Viet Tri Stadium last night (January 2nd), when the Thai team did everything they could to prevent Vietnam's key player from scoring.

Xuan Son (center) tormented the Thai defense with his all-around playing style.

Thailand was halfway to success. Coach Masatada Ishii's players defended well, effectively neutralizing Xuan Son and forcing the Vietnamese striker to retreat to midfield to create chances. With the connection between Xuan Son and his attacking partners weakened due to a lack of coordination between Vi Hao and Ngoc Quang, the Vietnamese team struggled throughout the first half.

However, marking Xuan Son was never just a matter of one half. Before halftime, concerns arose when the 28-year-old striker fell to the ground, clutching his shoulder in pain. Shoulders are very important to a player, as they are a weapon for shielding, bracing, and maintaining balance. Xuan Son's pain at that moment was the result of many collisions with the Thai defenders. And when the number 12 striker's face contorted in pain, something bad could have happened.

NEVER GIVE UP

Nevertheless, Xuan Son did not give up. He got up and continued to work hard in the second half as if there had been no collision. Chalermsak's statement, "We don't know who Xuan Son is?" was purely a provocation, because Chalermsak, and Thailand in general, had thoroughly studied the Brazilian striker to neutralize him. However, the visiting team probably did not expect the Vietnamese striker to be so resilient, determined, and tenacious.

Son's most memorable moment was in the semi-finals, when an opponent tore his shirt.

Xuan Son proved his mettle as currently the best striker in Southeast Asia. He made a clever run, then powerfully headed the ball to open the scoring. Following that, he sprinted across almost half the length of the pitch before unleashing a left-footed shot into the far corner of the net against Thailand. The Vietnamese national team had never had a player score two goals against Thailand in a single match until Xuan Son appeared.

Thanks to the Brazilian-born striker, the Vietnamese team can play in the most straightforward and simple way, yet with the highest effectiveness: tight defense, quick counter-attacks, moving the ball forward for Xuan Son to handle, and then... planning the next move. Playing like that against Thailand, one can understand the immense pressure on Xuan Son's shoulders. But despite his aching shoulders, he still overcame it. Just like in the previous match against Singapore, he was so powerful that the only way for opponents to stop him was to tear his shirt. The helplessness and struggles of the opponents only highlighted the tenacious warrior qualities that Xuan Son is instilling in the Vietnamese team.

Rajamangala Stadium, January 5th, just wait. Nguyen Xuan Son and the Vietnamese national team are coming!

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Source: https://thanhnien.vn/xuan-son-cai-vai-dau-va-tinh-than-chien-binh-185250103001523731.htm