Coach Kim Sang-sik's favorite player plays for the first time in his hometown Phu Tho: 'I hope the audience...'

Trusted by coach Kim Sang-sik and shining in the Southeast Asian U.23 tournament, midfielder Nguyen Xuan Bac hopes to continue to leave an impression in the 2026 Asian U.23 qualifiers, when he plays in his hometown Phu Tho.

Sincere confessions from coach Kim Sang-sik's favorite student

For the first time in history, a player from Phu Tho will participate in an official international tournament at Viet Tri Stadium. That is midfielder Nguyen Xuan Bac of U.23 Vietnam, when he and his teammates are preparing to enter Group C of the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers under the guidance of coach Kim Sang-sik.

If in 2020, striker Ha Duc Chinh wore the national team jersey in an internal friendly match between the Vietnam team and U.23 Vietnam at Viet Tri Stadium, now, fans of the homeland will directly witness a son of his homeland compete in an important continental tournament.

Midfielder Xuan Bac in the U.23 Vietnam shirt

PHOTO: VFF

Sharing about this special feeling, Xuan Bac said: "This is the first time I have returned to my hometown to compete, and I hope that fans will come to the stadium to cheer not only for me but also for the team so that we can achieve the best results. I have been away since I was young, so people in my hometown have mostly only cheered on television. This time playing in Phu Tho, my family and relatives can come directly to the stadium to cheer, which will be a great source of inspiration for me. I am very proud of my hometown Phu Tho."

Xuan Bac's presence in the U.23 Vietnam jersey in Viet Tri not only has personal significance, but is also the pride of Phu Tho fans. The red stands with enthusiastic cheers will become a great motivation for Xuan Bac and his teammates to continue to shine, creating unforgettable memories right on their homeland.

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Xuan Bac's expectations

On the field, Xuan Bac is a midfielder with good organization, plays intelligently, is mobile and can escape pressing well. Although he does not have a physical advantage, he always takes on the role of "midfield boss", helping the U.23 Vietnam's playing style become soft but solid.

The young midfielder's convincing performance at the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament helped him be voted into the tournament's best squad, becoming the only central midfielder of Vietnam U23 to be on this list.

Xuan Bac is present in V-League this season with PVF-CAND

PHOTO: VFF

At the club level, wearing the PVF-CAND jersey in the 2024-2025 first division, Xuan Bac was also included in the typical lineup in the central midfielder position, alongside his senior Hoang Duc, one of the brightest stars of Vietnamese football. Thus, within just one year, the young player from Phu Tho has been honored at both the club and national team levels, affirming his remarkable maturity.

However, when mentioning his achievements, Xuan Bac still remained humble: "The recent journey in U.23 Southeast Asia was quite new for me, and it was also the first time I played a lot in the national team. That was a great source of motivation for me to continue to strive to develop further."

With confidence, a desire to contribute and support from his hometown audience, Nguyen Xuan Bac is facing the opportunity to make a special mark in his career, while contributing to bringing joy and pride to Vietnamese football in the 2026 AFC U23 Championship qualifying round.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tro-cung-hlv-kim-sang-sik-lan-dau-da-o-que-nha-phu-tho-mong-khan-gia-185250831131424961.htm