Coach Kim Sang Sik will build a new version of the Vietnamese national team - Photo: NK
It's easy to see that the Vietnamese national team will be more dangerous with the naturalized foreign duo of Nguyen Xuan Son and Do Hoang Hen.
A highly competitive team
The inclusion of Brazilian-born striker Do Hoang Hen has allowed coach Kim Sang Sik to boldly drop strikers who are out of form, such as Tien Linh and Dinh Thanh Binh. These are currently the two best center forwards in the Vietnamese national team after Xuan Son.
But Mr. Kim's decision is perfectly reasonable. Having scored only 3 goals in 16 matches in the V-League 2025-2026, "Vietnam's Golden Ball 2024" winner Tien Linh has also gone 11 consecutive matches without scoring for the past 6 months – an unprecedentedly poor performance for a striker once considered a key player for the Vietnamese national team.
"Right now I also wanted to keep Tien Linh on the bench, but the team is short of strikers," said coach Le Huynh Duc (Ho Chi Minh City Police FC) after the match against PVF-CAND in round 16.
Even the reigning "Vietnam Golden Ball 2025" winner, Nguyen Hoang Duc – a key midfielder for the current Vietnam national team – could lose his starting spot because Hoang Hen is showing impressive form in the V-League 2025-2026. Three goals and one assist in the last four matches clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of this midfielder.
The return of Doan Van Hau after nearly two years away due to injury has also forced the entire Vietnamese national team's defense to work even harder. Not only does he play well at left back, but Van Hau also performs well as a left-sided center-back. His form has also been quite impressive, with one goal and one assist in the last four matches.
Do Hoang Hen ( Hanoi FC) receives his first call-up to the national team after becoming a naturalized citizen - Photo: TTO
The new version of the Vietnam national team.
After Nguyen Xuan Son, coach Kim Sang Sik now has another excellent naturalized attacking player in Do Hoang Hen. Playing well as an attacking midfielder, Hoang Hen is also very dangerous when playing on the wing, as coach Harry Kewell is currently using him at Hanoi FC.
With his skillful left foot, Hoang Hen is ready to dribble into the penalty area to score or create chances from the wing for his teammates to score. Hoang Hen's versatility gives Coach Kim more options in team selection.
Hoang Hen and Xuan Son were once a formidable attacking duo at Binh Dinh and then Nam Dinh clubs. Therefore, their reunion in the Vietnamese national team is highly anticipated.
Although the Vietnamese national team had already secured a place in the 2027 Asian Cup finals, after Malaysia was handed a 0-3 defeat in two matches against Nepal and Vietnam by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) due to cheating in the use of naturalized players, for Mr. Kim, this match still held great significance as it was an opportunity for him to test a new version of the Vietnamese national team.
This will greatly benefit the Vietnamese national team in the ASEAN Cup 2026 at the end of July and the Asian Cup 2027 finals early next year. However, Mr. Kim also needs backup plans in case Xuan Son or Hoang Hen are absent due to injury or suspension.
And that's an opportunity for two strikers who haven't had many chances to play, Pham Gia Hung and Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong, to show their abilities, alongside Pham Tuan Hai, who is also not in good form.
The new look of the Vietnamese national team also lies in its defense. Van Hau's return to top form also provides more options for the team. With Van Hau (1.85m), Bui Hoang Viet Anh (1.84m), and Duy Manh (1.80m), the Vietnamese defense boasts both height and quality.
If Van Hau plays on the wing, defender Cao Pendant Quang Vinh might have to be benched or moved to play as a left-sided center-back. Even Van Vi would find it difficult to secure a position as a left-back or left-winger, as he did in the recent matches against Nepal and Laos in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
There are also three players who performed excellently in the U23 team: goalkeeper Trung Kien, center-back Nhat Minh, and midfielder Khuat Van Khang. But with the current quality of players, it's difficult for him to make a choice. Therefore, the match against Malaysia is not only eagerly awaited by fans but also by Coach Kim himself, who are hoping for a change in the squad.
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NGUYEN KHOI
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ong-kim-cho-doi-gi-o-tran-gap-malaysia-2026031909200621.htm
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