Cao Pendant Quang Vinh: My mother cried when I was selected for the Vietnam national team.

TPO - Defender Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, who has just been naturalized as a Vietnamese citizen, shared his family's joy and pride when he was called up by coach Kim Sang-sik to join the Vietnamese national team to prepare for the match against Malaysia in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup.

“My mother was so proud, she cried. She told me to try my best,” Quang Vinh shared at the Vietnam team’s training session on the afternoon of June 1.

Preparing for the match against Malaysia in the second round of the 2027 Asian Cup Final Qualifiers, the Vietnamese team gathered in Hanoi with the players in the best form. Notably, besides Cong Phuong being recalled, coach Kim Sang-sik also gave a chance to Hanoi Police defender, Cao Pendant Quang Vinh.

Quang Vinh shared that when he heard the news from his teammate Nguyen Filip, he was at the airport and felt very happy. The defender who had just been naturalized as a Vietnamese citizen felt very excited and told his family the good news.

Quang Vinh is expected to be an important addition to the Vietnam national team.

According to Quang Vinh, the atmosphere in the team is fun and he feels as comfortable as at the Hanoi Police Club. “I can adapt quickly and will try my best for the team. When I met coach Kim Sang-sik, he asked me if I was tired because I had just played before, and said I could rest. Everyone here is very comfortable, laughing and joking with me, and the coach cares about the players,” Quang Vinh said. He said he took many photos and sent them to his family.

Quang Vinh once faced Malaysia captain Dion Cools in the 2024/25 ASEAN Club Cup Final. Quang Vinh assessed this player as a good defender with good technique. "It will be a good confrontation between us or between him and Van Vi" - Quang Vinh said.

The match with Malaysia is crucial for Vietnam's chances of winning a ticket to the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup.

Quang Vinh has a French father and a Vietnamese mother. He joined the Hanoi Police Club in August 2024. He received Vietnamese citizenship in March 2025.

Preparing for the match with Malaysia, the Vietnamese team is currently actively training in Hanoi. In the afternoon training session on June 1, goalkeeper Dinh Trieu, striker Cong Phuong and midfielder Duc Chien were still receiving treatment for injuries.

The Vietnamese team is scheduled to leave for Malaysia on June 6 to prepare for the match against Malaysia on June 10 at the "fire pit" of Bukit Jalil.

Little Phung

Source: https://tienphong.vn/cao-pendant-quang-vinh-me-da-khoc-khi-toi-duoc-len-tuyen-viet-nam-post1747496.tpo