Hai Long's life-changing turning point.

Career maturity

At 25 years old, Nguyen Hai Long is reaching the peak of his career. Five months ago at the ASEAN Cup 2024, he became a special player for the Vietnamese national team when he scored the first and last goal, sealing the championship journey for the "Golden Star Warriors". The opening goal was a powerful volley that broke the deadlock for Vietnam against Laos, paving the way for a series of positive results afterwards.
Meanwhile, the winning goal against Thailand in the final came from Hai Long's sharp vision and bold decision. The image of the ball slowly rolling towards the goal, with the Thai defense helpless, became a historic moment, not only for Hai Long personally but also for the ASEAN Cup!

Looking back a year earlier, Hai Long was considered an unfulfilled prodigy. This story actually happened to the young man from Quang Ninh a decade ago. At that time, he had to say goodbye to the Viettel Football Center because he was deemed not to have the potential to become a professional player in the following years. Without dwelling on Hai Long's past, his inability to participate in the national teams for such a long period was enough to cause him to gradually fade into obscurity. No one mentioned Hai Long as a potential successor to his senior teammate Quang Hai. Nor did anyone eagerly anticipate his talent, as they did when he unexpectedly rose to prominence after replacing the injured Nguyen Hai Huy at Than Quang Ninh.

The turning point in Hai Long's life -0

Hai Long is reaching the peak of his career.

Hai Long's predecessor at the Vietnam national team, Philippe Troussier, brought him back into the spotlight. However, it was under the guidance of coach Kim Sang-sik that the 25-year-old truly reached his peak. October 2024 marked a significant milestone, signifying the maturity of Hai Long's football career. He established himself as the number one right winger for the "Golden Star Warriors." Then, at the 2024 ASEAN Cup, Hai Long became a crucial piece in helping the Vietnam national team win their third Southeast Asian championship.

Nearly six months after that success, Hai Long has been a key player for Hanoi FC. However, he is not a first-choice player in the ASEAN All Stars squad. If Quang Hai hadn't withdrawn due to his busy schedule with Hanoi Police FC, Hai Long would probably be in Hanoi, waiting to join the Vietnamese national team. A blessing in disguise. Hai Long has become Quang Hai's "substitute." Similar to how he filled in for Quang Hai at Hanoi FC or for Nguyen Hai Huy at Than Quang Ninh, Hai Long knows how to seize opportunities to advance his football career.

The goal that changed the fate.

Hai Long was included in the starting lineup for the ASEAN All Stars team against Manchester United on the evening of May 28th at Bukit Jalil Stadium (Malaysia). This could be considered a surprise, as Hai Long had not actually participated in any training sessions with the ASEAN All Stars. Hanoi FC's schedule changed, resulting in him, along with Duy Manh and Van Vi, joining the Southeast Asian All-Stars team late.

But even without thorough preparation, Hai Long still showed confidence when facing the Red Devils. In the 6th minute, he received a through ball from Coulibaly on the right wing. The midfielder, who plays for Hanoi FC, beat center-back Heaven, who is nearly 1.90m tall, before curling a shot that went just wide of the post, much to the surprise of goalkeeper Onana. Four minutes later, Hai Long took a free kick from 25 meters after Coulibaly was fouled by Heaven. The midfielder's shot went over the crossbar of the MU goal.

But that's not all; Hai Long also showcased confident and daring dribbling skills, weaving through the ranks of Manchester United's top-class defenders. Witnessing Hai Long's carefree and effective play, English fans even expressed their feelings on social media: "The number 9 player (Hai Long) is causing so much trouble for MU. Every attack he makes is a struggle for the MU defense." One social media user even joked that Hai Long could be a Plan B if MU couldn't sign Mbeumo from Brentford.

Of course, Hai Long understands that those are just lighthearted comments from social media. For him, the most important thing is to feel honored and proud to be playing against a world- class club. Hai Long believes that every moment on the field today is precious and unforgettable. "Being on the same field with world-class players is an amazing experience that I will always cherish," Hai Long expressed.

Hai Long once revealed a paradox in his preferences. He's a fan of Manchester City but admires Bruno Fernandes for his football talent and his resilience in overcoming adversity. As mentioned, Hai Long himself went through a difficult decade before. Being rejected by the Viettel Center led to a very challenging period for him, despite his young age. He was loaned out to play in the Third Division for Phu Dong (2018), then in the Second Division for Lam Dong Club (2019). It wasn't until 2020 that he was called back to train with Quang Ninh Club.

In fact, there would be no Hai Long of today without that unforgettable long-range shot in the friendly match between Than Quang Ninh and Quang Nam before the Lunar New Year in 2020. “Than Quang Ninh unexpectedly accepted an invitation to play another match against Quang Nam. That match changed my life,” Hai Long shared.

He confided: “That day, coach Phan Thanh Hung experimented with many young players, but once again, I wasn't in the starting lineup. In the coaching cabin, I was very anxious. I wasn't watching the game, just observing the expressions on Coach Hung's face and waiting for him to call out, 'Long!' Luckily, I was brought onto the field in the 75th minute.”

I gave my all in that match, and in injury time, from a long-range shot, I scored. When the referee blew the final whistle, Coach Hung came over, clapped, and said, "Long, well done! You've got your signature! You've got your signature!" My eyes lit up, because that was the moment that opened the door to professional football for me. After that, I was promoted to the first team to participate in the V.League."

Not every Vietnamese player has had such a smooth start to their career as Quang Hai. Some might be brilliant prodigies who fade with age. Others might be late bloomers, only to find happiness in their careers when they are nearing the end of their lives. Hai Long probably understands this better than anyone. He overcame hardships from a very young age. And now, Hai Long cherishes every opportunity that fate has given him in his football career.

British newspapers take their hats off to Hai Long.
Regarding the MU vs. ASEAN All Stars match, the match report on Manchester United's website stated: “Playing against the ASEAN All Stars in the intense heat of Malaysia, our best chances came from Mainoo and Dorgu. Hai Long was the opponent's best player in this half, but United silenced him.” The British newspaper Daily Mail analyzed: “There really isn't much more to say. Nguyen Hai Long's performance for the ASEAN All Stars was quite good. It's easy to see why he has 4 goals in 10 games for Vietnam.”

Source: https://cand.com.vn/the-thao/nga-re-de-doi-cua-hai-long-i769986/