Repositioning yourself
Three years ago, at the age of 20, Nguyen Thai Son was a phenomenon in Vietnamese football. At the SEA Games in Cambodia, he was known as a tireless "workhorse" in the midfield of the Vietnam U22 team. At times, Thai Son covered 11 km per match. That's equivalent to the distance covered by a player in the English Premier League.
Thai Son didn't just attract attention at the U23 level. Coach Philippe Troussier, who was keen to revolutionize the national team during his tenure, gave him many opportunities to showcase his abilities with the "Golden Star Warriors." Statistically, Thai Son was among the top 5 players with the most appearances for the Vietnamese national team during the more than one year that the "White Wizard" was in charge.
However, that period also witnessed a major setback for the Vietnamese national teams. Coach Philippe Troussier had to leave prematurely due to failures from the Asian Cup to the World Cup qualifiers. The players he had worked hard to nurture, such as Minh Trọng, Thái Sơn, Tuấn Tài, Văn Tùng, Văn Chuẩn, etc., were inadvertently relegated to the past.
Thai Son was fortunate. He didn't let his name fade from the minds of fans. Throughout 2024 and 2025, although not a breakout phenomenon, this player consistently remained in the plans of the Vietnamese national teams and Thanh Hoa Club. Then, the SEA Games 33 final was the moment for Thai Son to re-establish himself. Coming on as a substitute for Nguyen Huynh Quoc Cuong, who had an unsuccessful performance against Thailand, Son "the garlic" made a strong impression by effectively controlling the midfield for his team. From losing the advantage in the midfield, Vietnam gradually regained control thanks to the mobility and excellent spatial awareness of the midfielder from Thanh Hoa.
Vietnam's decisive goal against Thailand in extra time bore the significant mark of this player. A feint with a backheel before heading the ball forward by Thai Son caught the Thai defenders off guard. Then, Vietnamese fans witnessed a series of decisive moves from Van Thuan and Thanh Nhan, before coach Kim Sang-sik's team became the SEA Games 33 champions.
Family's wish
Since his breakthrough at Rajamangala, Thai Son has become a central midfielder particularly trusted by coach Kim Sang-sik. In return, the player from Thanh Hoa province played very well in Vietnam U23's two victories against Kyrgyzstan and Jordan at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. He actively recovered the ball, made many important interceptions, and competed well with taller opponents, helping to speed up the ball's progress with his sharp vision.
Looking back at the statistics from the two matches, Thai Son made a total of 88 passes with an accuracy rate of 86.4%, successfully completing 100% of his long passes and creating two scoring opportunities for his teammates. He also made 3 interceptions and 3 clearances. If there's anything to regret, it's that Thai Son couldn't score. In the match against U23 Kyrgyzstan, he almost scored with a shot that narrowly missed the post after a pass from Le Phat in the 55th minute.
Watching Thai Son play on the field, coach Kim Sang-sik felt much more at ease. For over a month, since Van Truong suffered an unfortunate ligament injury in a friendly tournament in China, the South Korean coach had been desperately searching for a leader in midfield. Obviously, Thai Son's performance has helped him resolve that concern.
Following Thai Son's progress, but through television, his family in Lai Thanh Street, Hac Thanh Ward (Thanh Hoa) is also extremely happy. "I just hope my son plays safely," shared Nguyen Thai Toan, Thai Son's father. "I hope he will make accurate and steady passes to help the whole team win."
It is known that in recent days, the Thai Son family has been much busier than usual. Mr. and Mrs. Nguyen Thai Toan have been busy managing their business at the wholesale market while also making time to watch the late matches of the Vietnam U23 team with their neighbors. Despite being constantly on the go, the whole family is happy. Because it's a recognition from relatives, friends, neighbors, and even more broadly, fans for their son. "When we saw that he loved football, the family didn't forbid him but supported him, listened to his true desires, and set clear goals for him to pursue his passion seriously. Whatever he does, he must see it through to the end, so that he won't regret it later. I'm happy that he has made some mark in his career so far," Mr. Toan shared.
Interesting things about Mount Thai
Thai Son was born into a farming family, the youngest of three older sisters. Although his sisters loved and spoiled him, according to Mr. Toan (Thai Son's father), Thai Son developed a well-behaved, polite, and disciplined personality from a young age, largely due to the family's principled parenting style.
Living up to his family's expectations, Nguyen Thai Son has achieved considerable success in his career, from titles at youth levels to winning the National Cup with Thanh Hoa Club and, most recently, the gold medal in men's football at the 33rd SEA Games.
Speaking about Thai Son, the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) website also had high praise for the player. “The strength of the Vietnam U23 team in this year's tournament is built upon players with rich international experience. While Khuat Van Khang is making his third appearance at the continental youth football tournament, Thai Son has also accumulated valuable experience from the 2024 AFC U23 Championship in Qatar,” the AFC wrote. “This midfielder, born in 2003, has proven his irreplaceable role, acting as a 'brain' regulating the gameplay for Coach Kim Sang-sik's team.”
Source: https://cand.com.vn/the-thao/su-tro-lai-cua-nguyen-thai-son--i793849/
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