Tien Linh under pressure from Xuan Son

Tien Linh is no longer as explosive as before.

The appearance of Nguyen Xuan Son in the attack of the Vietnam national team has created an important change: for the first time in many years, the position of striker no longer "defaults" to Nguyen Tien Linh. That is not a denial of the contributions of the striker born in 1997, but a signal that the competition has become more fierce.

Before Xuan Son was eligible to play as a Vietnamese player, Tien Linh was still considered the number one choice. He has experience, has an instinct that not everyone possesses, and has been a support in many difficult times for the team.

But the 2024 ASEAN Cup group stage marked a turning point. Xuan Son was given a starting spot and made the most of it until injury forced him out of the second leg of the final. Tien Linh was back in the starting lineup, but it was clear he no longer had the same impact as before.

The decline is most evident in the ability to score goals. In 2025, the Vietnam national team will only face opponents far behind in FIFA rankings such as Laos or Nepal. That is an opportunity for a key striker to accumulate goals.

However, Tien Linh has only scored one goal in three matches, despite playing a total of 241 minutes. He was completely silent in the first two matches against Laos and Nepal, matches that should have helped him "warm up" his form after a period of competition with Xuan Son.

It is worth mentioning that the only goal, the opening goal against Nepal, was not enough to cover up the worry about the fading feeling of scoring goals. A striker at the age of 28 cannot let himself fall into a deadlock for too long, because that is the age when a striker must reach maturity, must know how to create pressure to rise.

Xuan Son is back.

His form at the club is not in his favor either. Starting the 2025/26 V.League with three goals in six matches, Tien Linh once brought hope to CA TP.HCM. But since his goal against SLNA in round 5, he has fallen into an alarming goalless streak. 450 minutes without scoring as a striker, continuously playing without leaving any mark, is enough to make the audience worried and he himself falls into a state of tension every time he steps into the penalty area.

Meanwhile, the return of Xuan Son, although not yet physically fit to start immediately, is still a very clear reminder. A naturalized striker with strength, speed and stable finishing ability is always a real threat. He may not immediately regain his position in the next match, but just one good match will turn everything around.

Tien Linh is therefore facing a pivotal moment. He can continue to be a starter thanks to his stability in physical condition and experience, but that position is no longer a guarantee. 2025 is a pivotal year for the Asian Cup qualifying journey. A striker who does not create a sense of danger will be replaced, that is the law of modern football.

If he cannot find his killer instinct again, if he cannot prove that he is still Vietnam's best striker, Tien Linh can completely return to the "supporting role", giving the stage to Xuan Son, like in the knockout round of the ASEAN Cup 2024. And this time, if he loses his position, it will be very difficult for him to regain it.

There are still opportunities. But time is not on Tien Linh’s side. In football, no one can maintain a leading role if they do not know how to extend their value by scoring goals. For Tien Linh, this is no longer a story of form, but a matter of life and death in the career of the Vietnam national team’s attack.

Source: https://znews.vn/tien-linh-truoc-suc-ep-mang-ten-xuan-son-post1603449.html