When Hoang Duc can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

At the V-League Awards ceremony, Hoang Duc received the award for best player in the First Division, while Alan Grafite was named the best player in the V-League.

HOANG DUC RELIEVES PRESSURE

The awards ceremony for outstanding individuals and teams in the Vietnamese professional football season (V-League Awards) took place on July 1st, with deserving winners found in all categories.

The title of "Best Player in the First Division" may not be the most glorious honor for Nguyen Hoang Duc. The midfielder, born in 1998, has already won two Vietnamese Golden Balls (2021, 2024) in four years and received the award for best player in the V-League. Nevertheless, the plaque honoring Hoang Duc received at the awards ceremony on July 1st holds great significance and relief.

Hoang Duc faced much criticism and skepticism when he refused to renew his contract with The Cong Viettel to join Ninh Binh FC in the First Division. As the best player in Vietnam at the time, Hoang Duc agreed to move down a division, raising concerns about the potential negative impact on his professional career given the significant difference in skill level between the V-League and the First Division.

However, overcoming the pressure to focus on the game, Hoang Duc and Ninh Binh FC successfully achieved promotion with a record points total (58 points after 19 wins and 1 draw) to return to the V-League. Although the 27-year-old midfielder didn't consistently score goals (3 goals), he was the driving force behind the team's play, demonstrating his influence as the "master" of the midfield, helping Ninh Binh FC progress steadily.

Hoang Duc receives the award for best player in the First Division.

PHOTO: VPF

Alan Grafite receives the V-League Player of the Year award.

PHOTO: VPF

Now, the team from the former capital has advanced to the V-League and is ready to spend heavily to compete for the top spot next season. Returning to the V-League is good news for Hoang Duc and coach Kim Sang-sik personally. Hoang Duc remains one of the most consistent midfielders in the Vietnamese national team, and upon returning to his familiar playing field, the Ninh Binh midfielder could replicate his form from the period when he won two Vietnamese Golden Ball awards.

For foreign player Alan Grafite, the V-League Player of the Year award is entirely deserved. He scored 14 goals in the V-League, 6 goals in the ASEAN Club Championship, and a hat-trick in the National Cup final while playing for Hanoi Police FC (CAHN). This is a real bargain for CAHN, especially considering that many V-League teams, despite spending a lot of money, fail to find good foreign players.

YOUNG PLAYER STEPS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT

In the category of best young player in the V-League, midfielder Le Van Thuan (Thanh Hoa FC) was honored. At the age of 19, Van Thuan has played 15 matches and scored 2 goals in this season's V-League. This young talent from Thanh Hoa has great potential for success, possessing excellent technique, fighting spirit, and the resilience to stand firm in this season playing in the V-League.

"Thanks to the support of my seniors, I've become much more confident. I want to dedicate this title to my family and use it as motivation to try even harder," Van Thuan affirmed.

The award for best young player in the First Division goes to Nguyen Hieu Minh of PVF-CAND. Playing for one of the teams with the best training facilities, coaching methods, and player development strategies, Hieu Minh has matured with 18 appearances in the First Division this season (15 starts) and has played consistently in defense. The 21-year-old center-back, standing at 1.84m tall, possesses composure and an ideal physique, making him a promising talent.

The common point between Hieu Minh and Van Thuan is that neither could attend the awards ceremony because they were training with the Vietnam U23 team in Ho Chi Minh City in preparation for the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship. This is also a positive sign, as both promising young players are getting into the swing of playing with the youth national team right after the club season ended.

A foreign expert once shared with Thanh Nien newspaper that for young players to develop, they need to play and compete. For a long time, Vietnam's youth football system has lacked many opportunities (except for the annual national U.15, U.17, U.19, and U.21 tournaments, each lasting nearly two months) for promising young players to test their abilities. The number of matches for young players has not reached the ideal level of 25-30 games, as mentioned by former Vietnam national team coach Philippe Troussier.

However, it is encouraging that some V-League and First Division teams are still diligently training and giving opportunities to young players, such as Thanh Hoa (Van Thuan, Ngoc My, Thai Son, Nguyen Hoang), PVF-CAND (Hieu Minh, Thanh Nhan, Xuan Bac), Hanoi, HAGL, The Cong Viettel, and SLNA, the team that recently received the award for giving opportunities to the most young players in the league.

Van Thuan and Hieu Minh are both "precious gems" that need nurturing and development. Coach Kim Sang-sik already has a squad of young players full of potential and ambition. How to build the Vietnam U23 team so that these young players gain more experience and battlefield prowess is Coach Kim's responsibility. However, to cultivate more young talent and know how to utilize them effectively, Vietnamese football needs to invest more money and intellectual resources.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khi-hoang-duc-co-the-tho-phao-185250701212231258.htm