'Vietnamese Chelsea' wants to regain its glory: Recruiting former HAGL prodigy

Once a force to be reckoned with in the V-League with the nickname "Vietnamese Chelsea", Binh Duong FC is making efforts to rebuild itself to return to the top. After nearly a decade of decline, the team from the land of Thu is expected to make strong changes in the 2025-2026 season.

The golden age of "Vietnamese Chelsea"

From 2007 to 2015 is considered the golden age in the history of Binh Duong FC. In those nine seasons, the team from Binh Duong won four V-League championships (2007, 2008, 2014, 2015), four National Super Cups, and one National Cup. Thanks to a bold transfer policy and a high-quality and deep squad, Binh Duong FC at that time was dubbed the "Vietnamese Chelsea," not only because of their blue jerseys but also because of their modern and professional football style.

But that glory gradually faded after the 2015 season. From being a title contender, Binh Duong FC gradually slipped into the middle group of the league. For many seasons, they struggled in the relegation battle – including the 2017 and 2023 seasons.

Nguyen Tien Linh is the winner of the 2024 Vietnamese Golden Ball award.

PHOTO: NAM DINH CLUB

Despite still possessing prominent names like Nguyen Tien Linh, currently Vietnam's top domestic striker, and many other stars, the Binh Duong team has been unable to regain stability. Constant changes on the coaching staff, a lack of squad depth, and increasingly fierce competition from emerging teams like Hanoi Police FC and Nam Dinh FC have caused Binh Duong to gradually lose its position.

Expectations for a "rebirth"

Ahead of the 2025-2026 season, Binh Duong FC is showing positive signs in terms of its development direction. Besides retaining key players like striker Nguyen Tien Linh, the team from Binh Duong has recruited former Vietnamese football legend Nguyen Anh Duc as head coach.

The Binh Duong team has also begun recruiting players. Most recently, the Binh Duong stadium welcomed midfielder Phan Thanh Hau. Thanh Hau was once considered a "prodigy" of the HAGL academy. In 2014, The Guardian of England surprised Vietnamese football fans by including the young talent Phan Thanh Hau (then only 17 years old) of HAGL in its list of "40 most promising young talents in the world ".

Phan Thanh Hậu is talented, but he hasn't developed as expected, partly due to injuries.

PHOTO: MINH TRAN

There is still plenty of time for Binh Duong FC to prepare their squad for the new season. At this moment, fans in Thu Dau Mot are hoping their beloved team will regain the glory they achieved before the 2015 season.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chelsea-viet-nam-muon-tim-lai-anh-hao-quang-chieu-mo-cuu-than-dong-hagl-185250712102654509.htm