The perfect replacement
Following the departure of Nguyen Van Viet before the 2025/26 season, Song Lam Nghe An entered the new season with many concerns. One of them lay in the goalkeeper position, where Cao Van Binh was chosen to shoulder the responsibility of replacing his senior teammate.
At that time, many people doubted that Van Binh was too young to be the goalkeeper for a team struggling in a harsh environment like the V.League. The first few matches of the season also increased the pressure when the goalkeeper from Dien Chau made a few unfortunate mistakes, especially the situation that led to a goal conceded in the match against Thanh Hoa in round 8.
But it was precisely from that setback that Cao Van Binh matured. The goalkeeper, born in 2005, threw himself into training with great determination. On the training ground, he was always the last to arrive. In addition to reflex exercises, Binh also honed his footwork skills and communication with the defense.
Those efforts gradually paid off. From being a source of worry for fans, Cao Van Binh has gradually become a pillar in the defense of the Nghe An team. In a team lacking depth and with frequent changes in the defense, this young goalkeeper has shown surprising composure. Not only does he possess good reflexes, but Binh also demonstrates a fairly mature ability to command the defense for his young age.
In many matches this season, Cao Văn Bình's saves have helped Song Lam Nghệ An secure crucial points in the relegation battle.
"Nothing comes easily. Everything requires effort and the help of the coaching staff and teammates to grow stronger every day. I will try my best to contribute more to the Song Lam Nghe An team," Cao Van Binh shared.
Not only did he make his mark at the club level, 2026 also saw a major step forward for Van Binh in the Vietnam U23 team. At the U23 Asian Championship, the Song Lam Nghe An goalkeeper was given the opportunity to start in the third-place match.
Under immense pressure, Cao Van Binh displayed remarkable composure. His consecutive saves and outstanding performance in the penalty shootout helped the Vietnam U23 team win the bronze medal in a highly emotional victory.
Now, Van Binh is gradually becoming a name that brings reassurance to both the Nghe An team and the national youth teams at all levels.
A fateful turning point from the Nghe An Newspaper Cup.
Few people know that, before becoming a goalkeeper, Cao Văn Bình was a very famous striker in Hamlet 10, Diễn Thành Commune, Diễn Châu District (formerly).
His peers back home still remember the boy nicknamed "the penalty box assassin." In the school and village's amateur football tournaments, this elementary school student from Dien Thanh was always the driving force leading his team to victory.
In 2016, Binh was called up to the Dien Chau (formerly) district children's football team to participate in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth and Children's Football Tournament. And from that tournament, the life of the boy from the coastal village took a completely different turn.
During a training session before the tournament, the team's goalkeeper didn't perform well. The coaching staff decided to give Binh a chance in goal. Initially, it was just a stopgap solution, but it inadvertently opened the door to a professional career for the goalkeeper born in 2005.
“At that time, I saw the team conceding too many goals, so I asked to try playing goalkeeper. Thanks to my better physique compared to other players my age, I felt quite suitable for this position,” Cao Van Binh recalled.
At the Nghe An Newspaper Cup Youth Football Tournament that year, Binh quickly made a strong impression. Not only was he a confident goalkeeper, but the boy from Dien Chau also stood out with his skillful footwork, effectively supporting his teammates in building up play from the back.
Although the Dien Chau Children's team was eliminated in the quarterfinals, Cao Van Binh's performance caught the eye of Song Lam Nghe An's scouts.
And from here, the door to professional football opened for the 11-year-old boy. In his early years at the Song Lam Nghe An youth academy, the goalkeeper from Dien Chau quietly went through a challenging period. From U11 to U15, Binh mainly played a reserve role because his mentality was not yet stable enough to inspire complete confidence in the coaching staff.
There was a time, amidst the pressure and doubt, when the young boy considered putting aside his dream of playing football and returning to his hometown to continue his studies.
"I've thought a lot about quitting. But if I give up football, my future will be very uncertain. So I told myself I have to try to overcome my weaknesses," the goalkeeper from Dien Chau confided.
The turning point came at the National U15 Championship when the team's starting goalkeeper unexpectedly missed training. Cao Văn Bình was given the opportunity and didn't miss it.
In particular, during the match against U15 Viettel , in front of coach Hoang Anh Tuan in the stands, Binh delivered an outstanding performance with a series of impressive saves. That match led to his call-up to the Vietnam U17 team. From here, Cao Van Binh's career entered a new chapter.
Upon joining the national team, he received direct coaching from former goalkeeper Vo Van Hanh. Not only did he improve his technical skills, but Van Binh also made significant progress in his competitive mindset.
Now, from a young boy from a coastal village who unexpectedly found his calling as a goalkeeper in the Nghe An Newspaper Cup, Cao Van Binh has become the number one goalkeeper for Song Lam Nghe An and a promising prospect for Vietnamese football in the future.
Source: https://baonghean.vn/thu-mon-cao-van-binh-and-memories-of-the-bao-nghe-an-cup-10338325.html
![[Photo] General Secretary and President To Lam presides over the meeting to approve the draft report on the results of the second inspection by the Politburo of the Standing Committee of the Hanoi City Party Committee.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/05/26/1779789811432_a2-bnd-4430-9620-jpg.webp)
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