Foreign strikers dominate V-League

Nguyen Quang Hai is the only domestic player in the top 9 highest goal scorers to date, with 2 goals.

Domestic players are at a disadvantage.

Recruiting high-quality, top-class foreign players not only helps the team achieve favorable results but also enhances the professional quality of the V-League.

After four rounds, foreign strikers are leading the "Top Scorer" list. However, the high performance of foreign players is also one of the reasons hindering the development of young talent, causing many Vietnamese players to miss opportunities to play and gain experience in the V-League.

After four matches, Hanoi Police FC has become the team with the most strikers with the highest goal-scoring efficiency. Alan Grafite, Léo Artur, and Nguyễn Quang Hải have contributed 10 goals to the police team. Among them, striker Alan is currently leading the V-League's "Top Scorer" list with 5 goals, two more than his teammate Artur.

Chân sút nước ngoài lấn lướt tại V-League- Ảnh 1. — Nguyen Quang Hai (center) is the only domestic player to have made it into the top 9 highest goal scorers in the V-League 2025-2026 season so far. (Photo: QUOC AN)

Last season, the 27-year-old Brazilian striker won the V-League "Top Scorer" title with 14 goals. Meanwhile, Quang Hai was among the top assist providers, delivering 8 assists that led to his teammates' goals.

Despite not having a smooth start in international competitions, Hanoi Police FC is maintaining a stable performance in domestic leagues. Coach Polking's team defeated Nam Dinh FC to win the National Super Cup and remains unbeaten with a streak of 4 matches, including 3 wins in this season's V-League.

Ninh Binh FC also boasts a top-scoring striker in the V-League. Gustavo Henrique has scored 4 goals in just 3 matches and is the first-choice striker for the team from the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. Before joining Ninh Binh FC, the 29-year-old Brazilian forward also impressed while playing for Hanoi Police FC in the 2023 season.

Having just returned to the V-League, Ninh Binh FC quickly caused a stir by spending heavily to bring in many outstanding foreign players and revamping the coaching staff with Spanish experts. Ninh Binh FC is also the only team to have won all 4 matches in the early stages of the 2025-2026 season, including 3 V-League matches and the National Cup qualifying round.

Unlocking potential

Viettel Sports Club is considered by experts to be a strong contender for the domestic championship this season. The military team has an unbeaten streak of four matches, including two wins, firmly holding a top 3 position in the V-League 2025-2026 standings after four rounds. Furthermore, Coach Popov's team surprised Vietnamese fans by eliminating Hanoi FC from the 2025-2026 National Cup early on.

To date, Viettel Sports Club is the most effective team in terms of new player acquisitions. Despite using overseas Vietnamese players for the first time, the coaching staff knew how to unlock their potential, turning center-back Kyle Colonna and Damian Vu Thanh An into key players in the team. In addition, young talents like goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet and midfielder Dinh Xuan Tien have also shown quick integration, establishing themselves within their new team.

In the early stages of the 2025-2026 season, the schedule forced Viettel Sports Club to constantly face many strong opponents, but the team achieved positive results. Besides a convincing victory against Hanoi FC in the National Cup, Coach Popov's team also drew in a match they could have won against Hanoi Police FC and achieved dominant victories when hosting Ho Chi Minh City Police FC and Becamex Ho Chi Minh City FC in the V-League.

The judicious rotation of the squad not only helps Viettel Sports Club maintain its form and smoothly implement its tactical approach, but also minimizes player injuries. Viettel Sports Club also has the fewest goals conceded, with only 2 goals after 4 rounds. Goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet's ability to anticipate situations, make timely interventions, and react quickly to save shots has helped the team keep two clean sheets.

Hanoi FC – once a powerhouse of Vietnamese football – continues to disappoint with a five-match winless streak. In the three Hanoi derby matches this season, the purple-shirted team lost to Hanoi Police FC (V-League Round 3), drew with The Cong Viettel (V-League Round 4), and lost to The Cong Viettel in the National Cup qualifying round.

Van Quyet and his teammates have fallen into the bottom four with only 2 points from 4 matches in the V-League 2025-2026.