Expecting the "steel" center back to make an impressive comeback

"Steel" center-back Tran Dinh Trong is having an impressive performance in V-League 2025 - 2026 and scoring points with experts. He is expected to contribute to strengthening the defense of the Vietnamese team under coach Kim Sang-sik in the near future.

Brave warrior

Through 8 matches played in V-League 2025-2026, central defender Dinh Trong has always been present in the starting lineup of Hanoi Police Club, helping the home team concede the fewest goals in the tournament.

The Hanoi midfielder - once considered the "steel shield" of the Vietnamese team under coach Park Hang-seo - is gradually regaining his form, proving the mettle and spirit of a warrior.

Kỳ vọng trung vệ — Tran Dinh Trong "revived" in the Hanoi Police Club shirt, opening the door to return to the Vietnam national team. Photo: QUOC AN

While playing for Hanoi FC, Dinh Trong was famous for his intelligent and effective defensive style on the field. The player born in 1997 was even nicknamed "Western-hunting center-back" by his colleagues and coaches thanks to his strong fighting ability and sharp judgment when facing many foreign strikers despite his height of only 1.73 m.

Dinh Trong's golden age was at the 2018 AFC U23 Championship in Changzhou (China), where he and his teammates created the miracle of "White Snow Changzhou". The image of the small but strong central defender rushing to block the opponent has become a symbol of the brave spirit of Vietnamese football. Also in this year, Dinh Trong combined with Que Ngoc Hai and Do Duy Manh to create a steel wall for the Vietnamese team to win the AFF Cup.

Always playing with a fiery spirit, Dinh Trong has faced serious injuries many times, causing his career to be constantly interrupted. A serious knee ligament injury in 2019 forced Dinh Trong to take a long break from competition, then continued to recur during the recovery process. The days of recovery training were a series of great challenges, there were even times when it seemed that he could not return to his peak form.

Dinh Trong has been persistent in returning step by step, from light training, playing as a reserve player until being able to play regularly for Binh Dinh FC - where he found his inspiration to play football again since 2022. Moving to Hanoi Police Club in the 2024 season, each of Dinh Trong's tackles and blocks exuded determination and confidence, affirming his impressive comeback.

The strong wall

Dinh Trong is not only a "steel shield" in front of the goal but also an inspiration for the whole team. Therefore, when many teams in V-League use foreign players in the center-back position, Hanoi Police Club still always trusts him.

The player from Gia Lam (Hanoi) is not only prioritized by Coach Polking in V-League but also participated in 3 matches in the group stage of AFC Champions League Two this season. Technically, Dinh Trong has the style of a modern central defender - both blocking and supporting good wing attacks.

In this season’s V-League, statistics show that Dinh Trong has a high rate of successful tackles and interceptions, while committing few dangerous fouls. He is also improving his ability to pass long and launch attacks from home.

After a long injury, Trong played more restrainedly. Playing in the left center-back position in a 3-center-back formation, Dinh Trong was assigned the task of blocking from afar like a "sweeper" midfielder on the wing and supporting the attack with accurate crosses.

With his form reviving, the door to returning to the Vietnam national team under coach Kim Sang-sik is wide open for Dinh Trong. In the context of the unstable defense of the Vietnam national team, an experienced and talented central defender like Dinh Trong can become an important factor.