What are the chances for the only two new recruits who have just been called up to the Vietnam national team?

Coach Kim Sang-sik only gave a chance to two new faces in the FIFA Days gathering in November, Khong Minh Gia Bao and Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong. So what is the real chance for this rookie duo in the competition for a position in the Vietnam national team?

Player Khong Minh Gia Bao in his first training session with the Vietnam team. (Photo: Duc Cuong)

Breakthrough

In the list of players preparing for the match against Laos in the 5th round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, coach Kim Sang-sik attracted attention when he did not call up any of the core players of the U23 Vietnam team, and only called up two new players. The reason is because the 47-year-old strategist wants the U22/23 pillars to be fully focused on the 2025 Panda Cup, a tournament considered an important step before the 33rd SEA Games.

In that context, two lucky names were given the opportunity to join the national team in the November gathering: Khong Minh Gia Bao ( Ho Chi Minh City Police) and Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong (Becamex Ho Chi Minh City). This was also the first time that these two rookies were able to "breathe the air" of the national team.

After 10 rounds of V.League 1- 2025/2026, both Khong Minh Gia Bao and Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong have shown impressive performance, becoming prominent faces in the eyes of experts.

With Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong, although the Becamex Ho Chi Minh City club is facing many instabilities in terms of personnel and performance, the striker born in 2000 is still a rare bright spot in the attack of the team in the land of Thu. After 7 matches, he has scored 2 goals, at the same time showing his enthusiasm and ability to create breakthroughs in dribbling and finishing situations. With what he has shown in the last 2 seasons, Viet Cuong is expected to soon become the new leader of the team in the land of Thu after the departure of star striker Nguyen Tien Linh.

Player Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong practices with his teammates in the Vietnamese national team jersey. (Photo: Duc Cuong)

Meanwhile, Khong Minh Gia Bao has impressed in his own way when he almost absolutely took the starting position in the shirt of Ho Chi Minh City Police Club . The central defender born in 2000 has played in 10/11 matches in V.League this season, only missing one match due to suspension due to receiving 3 yellow cards. His solidity, alertness and ability to read situations well helped Gia Bao quickly become a reliable support in the defense of the Police team.

Being called up to the Vietnam national team by coach Kim Sang-sik is a worthy reward for the persistent efforts of Khong Minh Gia Bao and Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong. The duo of players born in 2000 have shown remarkable maturity in the last two V.League seasons.

In Gia Bao's case, his journey has not been smooth. The 25-year-old central defender once had to play in the First Division with Phu Dong, before experiencing the V.League 1 atmosphere for the first time with Quang Nam club in the 2024/2025 season. When the Quang Nam team dissolved, the central defender born in 2000 was immediately targeted by the Ho Chi Minh City Police club. Entering the 2025/2026 season, Gia Bao not only integrated quickly but also became one of the most stable and reliable players in the defense of the Police team, thereby affirming his clear progress in each match.

Similarly, Viet Cuong's journey also shows clear progress. In the 2024/2025 season, he only scored 2 goals. However, after only 10 rounds of V.League 1 this season, the 25-year-old striker has managed to equal the performance of the entire previous season. Not only has his scoring efficiency improved, but Viet Cuong's role at the club has also become more prominent. Now, the striker born in 2000 is gradually becoming a mainstay in the attack and is expected to soon become the new leader of the team.

What are the opportunities in the Vietnam team?

It cannot be denied that Gia Bao and Viet Cuong are the players with the most impressive performance in V.League 1. However, the opportunity to be called up to the Vietnam national team in this training camp partly comes from the fact that coach Kim Sang-sik has allowed 7-8 players under 23 years old to return to the Vietnam U23 team to prepare for the 33rd SEA Games. This opens up an opportunity for the rookie duo born in 2000 to test themselves and prove themselves in the national team.

Player Khong Minh Gia Bao quickly integrated with his teammates. (Photo: Duc Cuong)

When joining the Vietnam national team, Khong Minh Gia Bao will have to compete for a position with experienced seniors such as Bui Tien Dung, Do Duy Manh, Pham Xuan Manh and Nguyen Thanh Chung. These are all faces from the generation that made achievements in Changzhou (China) in 2018 and all have more than 5 years of experience playing for the national team. Therefore, Gia Bao's position in the team's 3-man defense system is not a small challenge.

However, in the context of the team being in a rejuvenation phase, the central defender of the Ho Chi Minh City Police Club still has the opportunity to show himself if he quickly integrates into the team's tactics and culture under the guidance of coach Kim Sang-sik.

Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong's competition will be somewhat easier, as his competitors are Van Vi and Tuan Hai. After Dinh Bac and Thanh Nhan were fully focused on the U23 team, the Vietnamese team is lacking young, strong players with the ability to create breakthroughs on the left wing.

The current impressive form is a big advantage for Viet Cuong, because direct competitors are not in good form. Tuan Hai has not been able to maintain a stable form and a regular scoring frequency this season, while Van Vi has had to sit on the bench many times in the club's matches. With these factors, the opportunity for the 25-year-old striker to make his debut in the match against the Laos team is very high.

As mentioned, the Vietnamese team is in the process of rejuvenating and renewing its force, so coach Kim Sang-sik giving opportunities to Khong Minh Gia Bao and Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong is completely in his plan. Moreover, only having to face Laos, a team that is considered weaker, is also an ideal time for the Korean coach to test tactical options and find new elements for the team. Therefore, the opportunity for Gia Bao and Viet Cuong to have the opportunity to show themselves in the Vietnamese team is completely feasible.

DINH PHONG

Source: https://nhandan.vn/co-hoi-nao-cho-hai-tan-binh-duy-nhat-vua-duoc-goi-len-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-post923782.html