What contribution can the expensive Bulgarian-Vietnamese player make to the Vietnam U23 team?

With the inclusion of a Vietnamese-Bulgarian player valued at over 12 billion VND, the Vietnam U23 team has a better chance of competing for a place in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.

Vietnamese-born player Tran Thanh Trung in the Ninh Binh FC jersey - Photo: NINH BINH FC

On August 25th, coach Kim Sang Sik announced the list of the Vietnam U23 team preparing for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers in September.

Among the 24 players called up, the inclusion of Vietnamese-Bulgarian player Tran Thanh Trung (Chung Nguyen Do) is noteworthy - he was among the Top 3 best young players in Bulgaria in the 2024-2025 season.

At just 20 years old, Tran Thanh Trung is already a key player for Slavia Sofia. He is valued at 400,000 euros (approximately 12.2 billion VND) by the transfer website transfermarkt, significantly higher than Khuat Van Khang – the most highly valued player in the Vietnam U23 team at 300,000 euros (approximately 9.1 billion VND).

Improve the quality of the midfield for the Vietnam U23 team.

The Vietnam U23 team won the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship held in Indonesia at the end of July after defeating the host nation 1-0 in the final.

At that time, the key central midfield duo of the Vietnam U23 team was Van Truong and Xuan Bac. Xuan Bac, in particular, rose to prominence from the second group stage match against Cambodia U23, especially after Thai Son did not perform as well as expected in the opening match against Laos U23.

But clearly, in order to become stronger and compete for success on the continental stage, the Vietnam U23 team needs more new, higher-quality players. Especially in the midfield, to create a springboard for the attack.

Tran Thanh Trung (right) and Thai Son during a match in Round 2 of the V-League 2025-2026 - Photo: NINH BINH FC

Therefore, the presence of talented overseas Vietnamese player Tran Thanh Trung in the Vietnam U23 team is highly anticipated, both in defensive and attacking roles.

He previously played for Bulgaria's youth national teams and was highly regarded by Barcelona scouts as one of Europe's most promising midfielders, making him an ideal addition to the Vietnamese U23 team's midfield.

Tran Thanh Trung came on as a substitute for Chau Ngoc Quang in the 78th minute of Ninh Binh Club's 4-0 victory over Thanh Hoa in Round 2 of the V-League 2025-2026 on August 23.

After observing from the stands for just 10 minutes, coach Kim Sang Sik decided to give Tran Thanh Trung a chance, recognizing the sharp technique and tactical awareness of this Vietnamese-born player.

The Vietnam U23 team currently has quite a few players who can play in the central midfield position, including Van Truong, Xuan Bac, Thai Son, Viktor Le, Cong Phuong, etc.

They all have the advantage of having worked with coach Kim Sang Sik for a long time, so they understand the tactical requirements of the South Korean coach and play well with the players around them.

Meanwhile, Tran Thanh Trung had only recently returned to his hometown to play for Ninh Binh Club, and simply getting used to the scorching weather was already a challenge, not to mention the cultural barriers and the style of play.

But given his skill level, if Tran Thanh Trung adapts well to this training camp, he will be of great help to the Vietnam U23 team.

An opportunity for Tran Thanh Trung to showcase his talent.

The Vietnam U23 team will compete in Group C of the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers at Viet Tri Stadium ( Phu Tho province ). Coach Kim Sang Sik's team will face U23 Bangladesh (September 3), U23 Singapore (September 6), and U23 Yemen (September 9).

The 11 group winners and the 4 best-performing second-placed teams will qualify for the finals along with host nation Saudi Arabia.

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NGUYEN KHOI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cau-thu-viet-kieu-bulgaria-dat-gia-giup-gi-cho-u23-viet-nam-20250826132541424.htm