Rejuvenating the Vietnamese national team.

Coach Kim Sang-sik confidently promoted several players from the national U23 team to the Vietnamese national squad in preparation for the two matches against Nepal in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers in Ho Chi Minh City.

Following the heavy defeat against Malaysia in the second match of Group F in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, many believe that the Vietnamese national team needs to strengthen its squad, renewing and rejuvenating its core players.

Some promising faces for the defense

In the list of 23 players for the Vietnamese national team during the FIFA Days in October 2025, coach Kim Sang-sik has called up eight young players from the U23 Vietnam team that won the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship and qualified for the 2026 Asian U23 Championship finals: Tran Trung Kien, Khuat Van Khang, Nguyen Hieu Minh, Nguyen Xuan Bac, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Phi Hoang, Nguyen Nhat Minh, and Nguyen Dinh Bac.

In this group, Hieu Minh, Nhat Minh, Phi Hoang, and Xuan Bac have less experience playing for the national team but have just had a successful period of competition in the domestic league and with the Vietnam U23 team.

Last season, center-back Hieu Minh won the Best Young Player award in the 2024-2025 National First Division League. His impressive performance for PVF-CAND Club caught the eye of coach Kim Sang-sik.

With a height of 1.84 m, Hieu Minh has an advantage in aerial duels, making him suitable for many modern attacking football formations such as: 3-4-3, 3-5-2, 4-4-2, 4-3-3 or 4-3-1-2… Hieu Minh also actively participates in supporting attacks when deployed as a wing-back.

In the two recent international U23 tournaments in 2024 and 2025, the player born in 2004 repeatedly showcased his accurate long-range passing ability, creating opportunities for teammates to score and also directly scoring goals to bring victory to his team.

Meanwhile, Nhat Minh has become an effective partner with Hieu Minh in the U23 Vietnam defense. The 22-year-old center-back possesses a modern tactical mindset, minimizing physical contact while still achieving high effectiveness thanks to his clever defensive abilities.

Intelligent, mature for his age, and full of confidence whenever he steps onto the field, Nhat Minh displays the qualities of a "leader" in the defense, often being positioned as a central defender in a three-defender formation or playing deepest when his team employs a four-defender tactical system.

Nhat Minh (number 16) and Hieu Minh (number 4) are new additions to the Vietnamese national team squad for the FIFA Days in October 2025. (Photo: VPF)

Having come through the HAGL JMG academy and the Nutifood Football Academy, Nhat Minh twice won the runner-up title in the National U19 Championship and the National U21 Championship with Hoang Anh Gia Lai Club before being called up to the Vietnam national teams from U17 to U23.

Nhat Minh is highly regarded for his extensive experience in professional football, having previously played for Long An Club (First Division 2024-2025) and currently being an important member of Hai Phong Club in V-League 2025-2026.

"Whether on the national team or at your club, there's always a certain level of competition, and each environment has its own unique characteristics. The important thing is to know how to integrate, find ways to adapt, and make the most of your abilities," Nhật Minh expressed.

Refresh the attacking line.

Among the players called up to the Vietnamese national team for the two matches against Nepal this time is striker Pham Gia Hung ( Ninh Binh Club). The 25-year-old striker, who is 1.82m tall, is expected to be a replacement for Nguyen Tien Linh in the Vietnamese national team in the near future.

Gia Hung rose through the ranks of the PVF youth academy, standing out alongside stars like Hoang Duc and Van Lam, contributing to Ninh Binh FC's First Division championship and promotion to the V-League 2025-2026.

Last season, Pham Gia Hung was the top scorer for Ninh Binh FC, with 6 goals, placing him among the top 3 goalscorers in the league, behind only Luu Tu Nhan and Cong Phuong of Truong Tuoi Dong Nai FC.

Gia Hung (left in the photo) is a new addition to the Vietnamese national team squad for the FIFA Days in October 2025. Photo: VPF

Before being named in the FIFA Days squad in October 2025, Gia Hung was also called up to the Vietnamese national team during the FIFA Days in September 2025, playing in two friendly matches against Hanoi Police FC and Nam Dinh FC.

Besides his good physique, speed, and skillful technique, Gia Hung also possesses a keen finishing ability. In this V-League season, Gia Hung has scored one goal in four rounds and has been highly praised by coach Nguyen Viet Thang for his professional skills.

The inclusion of this group of young players promises to bring a fresh perspective and more tactical options to the team. However, to compete for a starting spot in the Vietnamese national team, they need to demonstrate exceptional effort in training.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tre-hoa-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-1962509302202178.htm