Vietnam team is looking for new Doan Ngoc Tan, Mr. Kim does not want to stop yet

The FIFA Days without international competitions will be an opportunity for the Vietnamese team to put aside the pressure of achievement and focus on giving opportunities to new faces who are eager to follow in their footsteps, such as Doan Ngoc Tan.

Doan Ngoc Tan and Xuan Son represent the winning formula of the Vietnamese team.

Photo: Ngoc Linh

Doan Ngoc Tan: Symbol of Vietnam's victory

The Vietnamese team has thrilled fans with an emotional journey to win the AFF Cup 2024 with a series of outstanding heroes such as Xuan Son, Hai Long, Hoang Duc, Thanh Chung and the "little guy with martial arts" Doan Ngoc Tan.

In November 2024, when coach Kim Sang-sik first called Doan Ngoc Tan to prepare for the 2024 AFF Cup, he was completely outshone by a series of other famous names such as Duc Chien, Viet Hung, Ly Cong Hoang Anh... or even the juniors of U.23 Vietnam Van Truong ( Hanoi Club) or Thai Son of Thanh Hoa Club.

As history has recorded, Mr. Kim later dismissed all the above names to put all his trust in Doan Ngoc Tan, whose reputation was not outstanding, but on the contrary, he proved to be the perfect missing piece.

After just one training session in Korea, coach Kim Sang-sik quietly decided on a midfield position for the guy who was playing for the national team for the first time at the age of 30 when he saw in him the fighting spirit that was much needed for the Vietnamese team.

Coach Kim Sang-sik advises Doan Ngoc Tan at AFF Cup 2024

Photo: Minh Tu

After nearly a year, unfortunately, when Doan Ngoc Tan was unexpectedly absent due to a broken rib in round 3 of V-League 2025 - 2026, coach Kim Sang-sik replaced him with another new name, Phan Du Hoc, to raise the number of new players who were rarely or never called up to the Vietnam national team under his tenure to 11 out of 24 names called.

Coach Kim Sang-sik is having a very successful journey, having won the 2024 AFF Cup and the 2025 U.23 Southeast Asian Championship in just over a year. But he does not want himself and the Vietnamese team to be satisfied with those results too soon.

The Korean coach once affirmed that he wanted to create a team with strong cohesion and a strong desire to contribute, gathering faces whose popularity would have to be ranked below motivation, suitability and playing style.

Vietnam team maintains the flame of aspiration

Faces like Van Viet, Van Chuan in goal or defenders Van Toi, Tuan Tai, Hoang Phuc, Quang Kiet, Du Hoc; midfielders Viet Hung, Hoang Anh, Minh Khoa or striker Gia Hung will be given opportunities like Doan Ngoc Tan before.

Vietnam team not satisfied after winning AFF Cup 2024

Photo: Minh Tu

Obviously, for someone as young as 18 years old as Quang Kiet, the shirt of the Vietnam U.23 team at the official tournament, the 2026 U.23 Asian qualifiers, is still a bit too big.

But this Vietnam national team training session will be an encouraging gift, adding a lot of confidence and desire for this 1.91 m tall guy to try harder after having affirmed himself in the HAGL Club shirt in V-League.

Similarly, Tuan Tai is improving his ability to compete and deploy the ball in the race for a position with Quang Vinh and Van Vi at left back; or Hoang Phuc of CA TP.HCM Club was called up to the Vietnam national team for the first time when Mr. Kim did not call Tien Dung and Thanh Binh...

In the middle of the field, Ly Cong Hoang Anh and Viet Hung will look at Doan Ngoc Tan's path to success to adjust themselves to Mr. Kim's requirements in the way the Vietnamese team operates.

Pham Gia Hung (18) celebrates his goal just 2 minutes after his V-League debut

Photo: Minh Tu

On the attack line, Pham Gia Hung will be an interesting case, worth waiting for when his senior at Ninh Binh FC, Dinh Thanh Binh, is not called.

Pham Gia Hung, with a 1.82 m physique and strong playing style, trained systematically at PVF, is expected to bring a solution for the future, to create competition for Tien Linh and Tuan Hai in the center forward position...

At this time, the names just listed are not as "valuable" as those who have worn and are wearing the Vietnamese national team jersey. But as Doan Ngoc Tan has proven, their weight in Mr. Kim's eyes will not be their names but their fire and ability to contribute.

With that, everything is possible for the Vietnamese team to always be ready with the effective addition of new blood.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-tuyen-viet-nam-di-tim-nhung-doan-ngoc-tan-moi-ong-kim-chua-muon-dung-lai-18525090117174196.htm