Google fever and professional expectations

VHO - After 10 months of injury, striker Nguyen Xuan Son returned in Nam Dinh's friendly match against PVF-CAND Youth. Just a few minutes on the field, but it was an important milestone in the journey of the striker who once dominated the V-League and shone brightly at the AFF Cup 2024.

Xuan Son returned to play in the practice match where Nam Dinh won 1-0 against PVF-CAND Youth at Thien Truong Stadium, Ninh Binh on October 11. Photo: NAM DINH FC

Running after 10 months

On October 11, in a friendly match to maintain the rhythm of the competition during the FIFA Days break, Nam Dinh beat PVF-CAND Youth 1-0 thanks to a goal by Percy Tau. The most notable event was that Nguyen Xuan Son was sent onto the field by coach Vu Hong Viet in the second half. He only played for a few minutes, made some touches, passed the ball, moved to open up space, normal operations for a striker, but for Xuan Son, it was a valuable feeling of competition after a long time of training only in the recovery room and on the closed training ground.

The 28-year-old striker suffered a serious injury (broken tibia and fibula of the right leg) in the second leg of the AFF Cup 2024 final in Thailand (5.1). From the emergency surgery to four stages of recovery, then the final stage with intense physical therapy sessions, he had to relearn every movement of power, change of direction, and jump. In the first half of 2025, Xuan Son received treatment in Vietnam. In July, he returned to Brazil to visit his family and combine intensive training with experts, before rejoining Nam Dinh in mid-August.

The caution is clearly shown in Nam Dinh Club's plan not to register Xuan Son for the first phase of V-League 2025-2026, in order to avoid time pressure and allow him to return according to the medical roadmap: From the last 10-15 minutes of the match, observe the reaction of muscles, bones, tendons; gradually increase the duration; then consider starting in official matches. For a player who has just suffered a serious injury, the "friendly minutes" are the milestone to verify the results of 10 months of persistent training.

The necessary return

Xuan Son is the type of striker that V-League defenders are afraid to face, because this player has great pressing power, smart running, neat one-touch handling and effective finishing. In the historic season with Nam Dinh, he scored 31 goals in 26 matches to win the Golden Boot, making an important contribution to bringing the team from Thanh Nam to the championship. In the Vietnamese national team jersey, after only a few matches, he became the "destination" of all crosses and passes, winning the Golden Boot (7 goals/5 matches) and the Best Player of the AFF Cup 2024.

The greatest value Xuan Son brings is not only the number of goals, but also the tactical "support". With a number 9 sticking to the penalty area, the Vietnam team can increase the quality of early crosses, high balls, or crosses in the inner corridor.

His ability to create a wall opens up space for strikers like Pham Tuan Hai, or an attacking midfielder to run up and finish. Without this type of striker, the attacking system is forced to shift more to short combinations, which require high precision in tight spaces, and therefore are not always effective, especially against opponents with good defensive organization.

After two rounds of Group F qualifying for the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup, Vietnam needs to maintain a winning streak against opponents of equal strength and prepare for the important rematch with Malaysia scheduled for March 2026. Coach Kim Sang-sik has given opportunities to many young faces and renewed the attacking structure, but he also understands that a quality "destination" in the penalty area will help the system operate more smoothly.

If he completes the entire recovery process at the club, Xuan Son will likely return to the national team's personnel map in the early stages of 2026. At that time, the two "modes" of attack, high-speed group coordination and high-pressure ball, can be rotated in a match, making it harder for the Vietnamese team to predict. Psychologically, the presence of a striker who has solved many matches also brings confidence to the whole team.

Xuan Son's reappearance quickly created a positive effect in the fan community. After nearly a year of "absence" due to treatment, the image of him entering the field was enough to inspire. According to statistics from Google Trends, the keyword "Nguyen Xuan Son" recorded an increase of more than 600% on the morning of October 13, surpassing even hot topics about current events and international football. The highest point reached 100 points, the maximum level on the interest level scale in the last 24 hours.

From those first steps to the day of full return, there is still a distance, but the most important things that have appeared are the feeling of the ball, the belief and a clear goal. If his health is maintained and the roadmap to increase the volume of exercise continues as planned, Xuan Son will not only bring professional solutions to Nam Dinh but also promise to become a key piece of the Vietnam team in the pivotal period in early 2026.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/gay-sot-google-va-nhung-ky-vong-chuyen-mon-174808.html