Two promising "rising stars" of U23 Vietnam

In the journey to defend the title at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, Pham Ly Duc and Nguyen Dinh Bac have become the focus of attention of Vietnamese football fans. This duo was once called up to the national team by coach Kim Sang-sik and is playing key roles in the Vietnam U23 squad.

"Steel shield" defense

The 22-year-old central defender is not only a mainstay in the U23 Vietnam defense but is also considered one of the brightest young talents in the country's football.

Pham Ly Duc grew up from the Nutifood JMG training center, possessing an ideal height of 1.82 m and soon showing the qualities of a modern central defender: strong in disputes, sharp judgment of situations and fiery fighting spirit. Currently, Ly Duc is considered the "steel shield" of the U23 Vietnam defense.

Hai — Ly Duc (photo above) and Dinh Bac are promising talents of Vietnamese football (Photo: VFF)

V-League 2024-2025 witnessed Ly Duc's breakthrough when he took the starting position in the HAGL squad, played 20 matches, scored 3 goals and had 1 assist. His solid defense and effective attack helped him receive much praise. Coach Le Quang Trai commented: "Ly Duc plays more and more maturely, knows how to overcome weaknesses and maximize his strengths."

The highlight of Ly Duc's journey was his first call-up to the Vietnam national team during FIFA Days in March 2025, preparing for friendly matches with Cambodia and Laos in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Despite his young age, Ly Duc still surprised coach Kim Sang-sik with his remarkable progress.

"Ly Duc is a young player but has great potential. He needs to continue training to become a mainstay not only in the U23 but also in the national team" - Mr. Kim assessed his student.

Ly Duc suffered a knee injury in the quarter-finals of the 2025 National Cup. But thanks to his good physical condition and strong will, Ly Duc recovered in time to join the U23 Vietnam team at the Southeast Asian tournament.

In this tournament, Pham Ly Duc was one of the three key central defenders in the 3-5-2 tactical formation of the U23 Vietnam team, standing out with his ability to read situations and confidently handle the ball, helping the whole team operate smoothly in tactics. In addition, his extensive experience in the V-League helped Ly Duc show his ability to command the defense.

In the opening match, which won big against U23 Laos, Ly Duc showed his solidity in defense, coordinated with his teammates and covered effectively to help the U23 Vietnam defense keep a clean sheet. Before the group stage ended, the player from Tay Ninh impressed with his ability to choose a position and "fight in the air", scoring a goal to help U23 Vietnam overcome U23 Cambodia with a score of 2-1.

"Sword tip" in the attack

Nguyen Dinh Bac is one of the youngest players in the Vietnam U23 squad, but he plays an important role in the team's attacks. At the end of the group stage of the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, Dinh Bac contributed 1 assist and 1 goal, and was voted the Best Player in the victory over Cambodia U21.

The striker of Hanoi Police Club possesses speed, technique and sharp "goal-hunting" instinct, expected to help the U23 Vietnam team successfully defend the championship title this tournament.

Previously, like Ly Duc, Dinh Bac was also injured and could not join the U23 Vietnam team during the FIFA Days in March 2025. This is also the reason why the Nghe An player's performance has declined, with only 1 goal after 15 matches in the V-League 2024-2025.

After 2 months off for treatment, Dinh Bac gradually regained his ball feeling and became an irreplaceable spearhead in the U23 Vietnam team's attack. The player born in 2004 can play versatilely as a striker, attacking midfielder or winger, bringing about breakthroughs in fast-attacking coordination situations.

Possessing many skills of a top "goal hunter", Dinh Bac is also limited in physical strength. Since the injury, this young talent has rarely played a full 90-minute match and has also missed many regrettable scoring opportunities.

Under the guidance of coach Kim Sang-sik, Pham Ly Duc and Nguyen Dinh Bac are not only expected to help U23 Vietnam successfully defend the U23 Southeast Asian championship but also be important factors in the long-term goals of Vietnamese football, such as the 2026 U23 Asian qualifiers and the 33rd SEA Games.