Promising overseas Vietnamese players waiting to wear the Vietnamese national team jersey

IMPRESSIONS OF OVERSEAS VIETNAMESE PLAYERS Q UANG VINH AND VIKTOR LE

After nearly a year of playing in the V-League after returning from France, Cao Pendant Quang Vinh is the overseas Vietnamese player who has made the strongest impression and is taking steady steps closer to the threshold of the Vietnamese national team.

Kevin Pham Ba (white shirt) in Nam Dinh Club jersey

Photo: MINH TU

The defender born in 1997 possesses European-class muscles, physical strength and stretching ability.

8 years playing in Ligue 2 and a short adventure in the US before returning to Vietnam is proof of the ability of the player who played for the French U.18 and U.16 teams. At the Hanoi Police Club (CAHN), Quang Vinh has played 28 out of 29 matches in 3 arenas this season, only missing 1 match due to suspension. As long as he is healthy and eligible to compete, Quang Vinh will be trusted by coach Alexandre Polking. The German coach has a habit of rotating players, but Quang Vinh's position is "untouchable".

Whether playing as a left-sided center-back or left-back, the 28-year-old player plays from average to excellent. Quang Vinh defends and competes well, while supporting the attack effectively through dribbling, penetrating the penalty area to score or create. According to coach Polking, Quang Vinh's presence helps the CAHN club's defense control the ball and launch smoother attacks. The goal against Quang Nam in round 21 (CAHN club won 3-0) came from the situation where the defender with mixed Vietnamese and French blood accelerated from the left wing, ran straight into the penalty area and scored. Quang Vinh's graceful and powerful runs will add strength to the left wing of the Vietnamese team, which is in dire need of an experienced, all-round player.

If CAHN FC is proud to have the overseas Vietnamese duo Nguyen Filip and Quang Vinh, Ha Tinh FC is not far behind with Viktor Le (Russian origin) and Adou Minh (French origin). Viktor Le is having the best season since the beginning of his career when he has won the full trust of coach Nguyen Thanh Cong. At the age of 22, the half-Russian player has played 19 out of 21 matches for Ha Tinh in the V-League. Although physical strength is still an obstacle when Viktor Le rarely plays the full 90 minutes, the enthusiasm in pressing and the direct, modern playing style of the young star playing for U.22 Vietnam has convinced the Ha Tinh coaching staff. In the front line, Viktor Le plays well, and in the back line, Ha Tinh FC can be satisfied with Adou Minh. The French-born central defender has played 17 matches since the beginning of the tournament and always plays the entire match, without resting for a single minute. With 10 years of experience in the French semi-professional league, Adou Minh has a modern playing style when he boldly holds the ball and deploys it to the front line without being afraid of collisions. Also born in 1997 like Quang Vinh, Adou Minh is taking steady steps to assert his position.

Kevin Pham Ba (Nam Dinh Club) has also gradually shown his worth. His beautiful volley into the net of Hanoi Club in round 21 has given the defender born in 1994 more confidence. Similar to Quang Vinh, Kevin Pham Ba also climbs the sidelines well, handles the ball smoothly and has a good attacking mindset. "At the age of 31, I don't think it's too late to start a new journey. On the contrary, this could be the stage when I am reaching the peak of my performance," Kevin Pham Ba affirmed.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO WEAR THE VIETNAMESE NATIONAL TEAM ?

Among the overseas Vietnamese players playing in the V-League, the most notable are Nguyen Filip, Quang Vinh and Viktor Le who can wear the Vietnamese national team jersey because they have Vietnamese citizenship.

Quang Vinh is likely to be called up by coach Kim Sang-sik for the training camp to prepare for the match against Malaysia (June 10) as he has completed the paperwork. Viktor Le has played for the U.22 Vietnam team and could be promoted to the Vietnam national team for testing, in the context of Vietnam's attack line being in crisis due to injuries and decline in performance of key players.

Some players who do not have citizenship, including Kevin Pham Ba, Kyle Colonna, Pierre Lamothe (Hanoi Club), are all waiting. According to Thanh Nien 's research, the naturalization procedure for the 31-year-old defender is not easy. He will have to wait patiently for the opportunity. For example, Nguyen Filip needed 7 months at CAHN Club (not to mention the time before returning home to apply for citizenship), or Quang Vinh needed 10 months to be granted Vietnamese citizenship. There are talented faces, highly appreciated by Coach Kim, such as Patrik Le Giang, who cannot be called up to the national team because they do not have citizenship.

After the host club makes a proposal, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and the Vietnam Sports Administration will study and then propose to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Justice to support the player in naturalization. Players must have full documents and meet the conditions under the 2008 Nationality Law to be considered for citizenship.

"I really want to have Vietnamese nationality. I would be very honored if I was called up to the Vietnamese team to try my hand," Kevin Pham Ba affirmed.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dan-cau-thu-viet-kieu-trien-vong-cho-khoac-ao-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-185250506214210806.htm