The border storm in Van Vi

The fiery spirit and perseverance of full-back Nguyen Van Vi were the decisive factors in earning him a spot in the Vietnamese national team for the ASEAN Cup 2024.

When veteran left-backs of the Vietnamese national team such as Doan Van Hau, Nguyen Phong Hong Duy, and Phan Tuan Tai… failed to meet the coaching staff's requirements to represent Vietnam in the ASEAN Cup 2024, Nguyen Van Vi impressed coach Kim Sang-sik.

Late bloomer

Born in 1998, Van Vi came from the Hanoi football academy and played for three professional clubs in Vietnam. It wasn't until he was 24 that Van Vi made his debut for the national team. That was when he was named in the starting lineup for Vietnam under coach Park Hang-seo against Afghanistan in an international friendly match in early June 2022. Failing to impress, Van Vi gradually lost his chance to play for the national team after that.

Van Vi's (left) fast-paced and straightforward playing style promises to make him a strategic asset for coach Kim Sang-sik (Photo: NAM DINH CLUB)

The winger from Bac Ninh is versatile and can play in multiple positions: full-back, winger, or central midfielder. Van Vi's strengths lie in his ability to accelerate quickly from his own half, surprising opponents, and delivering accurate crosses into the center. Van Vi's skills allow him to create spectacular performances, contributing significantly to his team's positive results.

For many fans, Van Vi remains an unfamiliar name despite having played in the V-League for many years. In 2019, Vi was one of the key players who helped Hong Linh Ha Tinh FC secure promotion to the V-League. Returning to Hanoi FC after the 2021 season with a two-year contract, Van Vi has consistently been relegated to the bench due to a lack of skill to compete with his teammates.

By 2023, upon joining Nam Dinh FC, Van Vi gradually regained his peak performance and established his position. However, in a team with so many stars, Van Vi also had to be a substitute for national team player Hong Duy.

In the 2023-2024 V-League season, Vi made a total of 19 appearances, with 12 starts from the bench, and scored 2 goals. Over the 9 rounds of the 2024-2025 season, the new Vietnam national team player has started 4 matches and made 5 starts from the bench, but has already scored 1 goal. Notably, Van Vi's presence has become a "key" to resolving Nam Dinh FC's struggles in attack and goal-scoring. Statistical data from Nam Dinh's matches in both the V-League and AFC Champions League Two this season shows that the team's win rate increased by 20% since Van Vi came on as a substitute.

Physical fitness needs improvement.

Experts describe Van Vi as a player with a simple yet highly effective playing style. The new Vietnam national team recruit rarely overuses individual skills, instead utilizing bursts of speed down the flanks to bypass the opposing defense before observing and passing the ball into the center for his teammates.

Coach Vu Hong Viet analyzed: "Van Vi's acceleration overwhelms the opposing defense, leaving them unable to retreat in time to support the defense when they push forward to attack. Vi's skills are well-suited to a tactical approach that emphasizes quick counter-attacks. He usually maximizes his strengths around the middle of the second half."

However, due to the constant movement and acceleration required, Van Vi's physical condition deteriorated quickly. This is also why Van Vi was often brought on from the bench or could only perform well for 40 minutes on the field. This limitation also narrowed his chances of competing for a starting spot in the Vietnamese national team against more experienced teammates.

Having previously coached him, Coach Pham Minh Duc assessed: "Van Vi is very diligent in training and highly determined when competing. Based on what he has shown recently, Van Vi deserves a place in the Vietnamese national team for the ASEAN Cup 2024, but he needs to quickly adapt to the team to achieve good results."

In the ASEAN Cup 2024, the Vietnamese national team is in Group B, along with Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Laos - the opponent of coach Kim Sang-sik's team in the first match at 8 PM on December 9th.

Watch ASEAN Cup 2024 on FPT Play

The tournament will kick off with the first matches of Group A this evening, featuring two games: Cambodia vs. Malaysia (5:45 PM) and Timor Leste vs. Thailand at 8:00 PM. The second match will take place at Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi. In the group stage, Timor Leste chose Hang Day Stadium as their home ground because their own stadiums do not meet the required standards.

All matches of the tournament will be broadcast live on FPT Play channel.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/con-loc-duong-bien-van-vi-19624120720182181.htm