Nguyen Xuan Son is allowed to wear the Vietnamese national team shirt from December 21.

What does the Vietnamese team lack?

The Vietnamese team is about to conclude its training trip in Korea with impressive friendly results. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team won all matches against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Daegu FC and Ulsan Citizen, scoring 7 goals and conceding only 1.

The strikers under Kim Sang-sik's control all scored, including Quang Hai with 2 goals, while Tien Linh, Thanh Binh, Hai Long, Duy Manh, and Tuan Hai all found the opponent's net once.

Looking at the statistics, this is a good sign. After the crisis under coach Philippe Troussier, every victory now, even in a friendly match, has great morale-boosting significance.

Vietnam team wins all in Korea

However, digging deeper into the details, there are still many things that need to be improved in the Vietnamese team. Firstly, the quality of the opponents of Mr. Kim Sang-sik and his team is not high. Ulsan Citizen is an unknown opponent playing only in the third division of Korea (K-League 3). Jeonbuk and Daegu, although playing in K-League 1 and having a good reputation, are in the relegation play-off stage. Therefore, the two teams did not field their strongest lineups, nor could they fully concentrate on the match.

In addition, the nature of friendly matches is very different from real combat. Entering the AFF Cup 2024 with greater pressure, opponents who understand us and play more fiercely, the Vietnamese team must compete with a different mindset.

The Vietnamese team's weakness was exposed in the three friendly matches, which was the ability to take advantage of opportunities. Although they improved in attack with more diverse coordination (there were moves to penetrate the center, exploit the space behind the center back, pass the ball into the "armpit" of the defense to open up space on the wing), the Vietnamese strikers missed many good opportunities.

For example, in the match against Ulsan Citizen, Hai Long and Tien Linh missed most of their shots in one-on-one situations or close-range shots. Or in the matches against Daegu and Jeonbuk, the above situation was repeated. Talking about "coolness" in front of the opponent's penalty area, in recent years, the Vietnamese team has only had two notable explosive players, Tien Linh and Tuan Hai.

Tuan Hai is suitable for the back role

However, Tuan Hai is more suitable for the role of a defender. Although Tien Linh is more versatile and effective than before, coach Kim Sang-sik will find it difficult to enter a major tournament with only one reliable striker.

Why does Mr. Kim need Nguyen Xuan Son?

Coach Kim Sang-sik will consider Nguyen Xuan Son, because he has everything a striker needs: the ability to fight independently, press, maneuver and finish well in tight spaces, and is also impressive at long-range shots and headers.

His aggressive playing style gives Nguyen Xuan Son an attacking foundation that surpasses domestic strikers. Coach Kim needs such an "Vietnamese" to confront defenders of European origin that the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and even Cambodia increasingly favor.

Nguyen Xuan Son scored 6 goals in the last 3 matches

Nguyen Xuan Son has not only proven his professional level, but also his ambition. Coach Vu Hong Viet affirmed that being called up to the preliminary list has helped the 27-year-old striker become much more determined. The "Ta" of Nam Dinh team has absorbed the Vietnamese spirit. He comfortably takes his wife out, buys banana cakes, learns Vietnamese and waits every day to wear the national team jersey.

Xuan Son is trying hard to perform at Nam Dinh Club to "maintain" his best physical condition, form and ball feeling. In the last 3 matches, Nguyen Xuan Son scored 6 goals in the last 3 matches, including a hat-trick in 29 minutes against Binh Duong , one of the best defensive teams in the tournament.

Perhaps for a player who has played in the V-League for 5 years and has an independent playing style like Xuan Son, adaptation is not a problem.

Coach Kim Sang-sik has a "treasure". How to use Xuan Son effectively will be a problem that the Vietnamese team will consider in the next few days.

Xuan Son will be able to wear the Vietnamese national team jersey from December 21, 2024 because he meets the requirement of completing 5 years of residency in Vietnam. Xuan Son arrived in Vietnam on December 21, 2019 with his old name Rafaelson.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nong-nguyen-xuan-son-duoc-phep-khoac-ao-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-tu-ngay-2112-185241202094952349.htm