“I would like to close a journey filled with many successes, friendships and countless unforgettable moments. It has always been a great honor and privilege for me to have dedicated myself to the colors of Bulgaria. Thank you for your support, for the memories and for everything,” Tran Thanh Trung wrote on his personal page.

Before returning to Vietnam, Thanh Trung was a familiar face in Bulgaria's youth teams, from U17 to U21, and was highly regarded by Barcelona scouts as one of Europe's promising midfielders.

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Tran Thanh Trung has 2 matches for Ninh Binh in V-League 2025/26. Photo: Xuan Thuy

On August 25, Coach Kim Sang Sik announced the list of the Vietnam U23 team to prepare for the 2026 U23 Asian qualifiers held at home. Among the 24 names, Tran Thanh Trung is the one who received special attention.

Tran Thanh Trung (Chung Nguyen Do), born in 2005 in Bulgaria to a Vietnamese family, currently holds dual Vietnamese and Bulgarian citizenship. He grew up at CSKA Sofia, played professionally since 2013 and played for Slavia Sofia's first team in the Bulgarian National Championship before returning to join Ninh Binh Club in the V-League.

The 1m75 tall player, playing in the central midfielder position, played 31 matches, scored 2 goals and had 1 assist in the 2024/25 season. With a playing style that focuses on control and defense, Thanh Trung is also in the top 5 young players with the most interceptions in European national championships (except the top 5 leagues).

U23 Vietnam gathered and trained in Viet Tri ( Phu Tho ) from August 30. In Group C of the 2026 U23 Asian qualifiers, coach Kim Sang Sik and his team will meet U23 Bangladesh (September 3), U23 Singapore (September 6) and U23 Yemen (September 9).

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/overseas-player-thanh-trung-viet-said-break-up-bulgaria-2436237.html