Who is the unsung hero of the Vietnam U17 team?

In the success of the Vietnam U17 team, Nguyen Manh Cuong's contribution was quiet but extremely important.

In the 71st minute of the U17 Vietnam vs U17 UAE match, from a corner kick on the left wing, center-back Nguyen Manh Cuong rose high to head the ball into the net, securing a breathtaking victory for the red-shirted team.

With this victory, the Vietnam U17 team not only advanced to the quarterfinals as group C winners, but also secured a ticket to the 2026 World Cup and a direct entry into the AFC U17 Championship next year.

In Vietnam U17's 3-2 victory over UAE U17, many talked about Nguyen Luc's spectacular free-kick. However, Manh Cuong's goal was also incredibly valuable and decisive.

Manh Cuong's header secured a World Cup ticket for Vietnam U17. Photo: AFC

What's remarkable is that this isn't the first time Mạnh Cường has become a hero for the Vietnam U17 team. Previously, in the semi-final of the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship against Australia U17, Vietnam U17 also found themselves in an extremely difficult situation after falling behind and missing a penalty.

In that situation, the center-back from the The Cong Viettel academy stepped up with a crucial header that helped Vietnam U17 equalize before halftime. The goal opened the door for an emotional comeback, leading Coach Roland's team to a 2-1 victory, advancing to the final and ultimately winning the Southeast Asian championship after defeating Malaysia.

Previously, in the U17 Asian Championship qualifiers at the end of 2025, it was still Mạnh Cường who scored the opening goal in the 4-0 victory against U17 Malaysia, a crucial match that helped U17 Vietnam secure a ticket to the Asian Championship finals , paving the way for the historic World Cup qualification that coach Cristiano Roland's team just won.

Manh Cuong's contributions were quiet but incredibly valuable. Photo: AFC

Despite scoring many important goals, Mạnh Cường always chooses to remain silent. For him, the team's victory is the most important thing. Experts believe that the U17 Vietnam center-back has the potential to go far, possessing many outstanding qualities.

Despite being only 17 years old, Mạnh Cường is 1.82m tall and possesses excellent aerial ability. His playing style reminds many of Bùi Tiến Dũng at his peak.

His tenacity, fighting spirit, leadership qualities, and ability to shine at crucial moments have made the U17 Vietnam center-back one of the hopes for Vietnam's future World Cup dreams.

Watch the AFC U17 Championship exclusively, from May 5th to May 23rd, on TV360 at https://tv360.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nguoi-hung-tham-lang-cua-u17-viet-nam-la-ai-2515883.html