The talented and brave strikers of U.22 Vietnam: Very much to look forward to

Potential strikers of U.22 Vietnam

During the U.22 Vietnam training camp to prepare for the training trip in China, Mr. Kim Sang-sik and acting head coach Dinh Hong Vinh agreed to call up 5 strikers: Nguyen Dinh Bac (Hanoi Police Club), Nguyen Quoc Viet (Ninh Binh), Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Le Phat (PVF-CAND) and Nguyen Ha Anh Tuan (Ba Ria - Vung Tau).

Among them, Anh Tuan and Le Phat were called up to gain more experience. Both of them are either too young or have not made their mark at previous levels.

Dinh Bac (right) in the U.22 Vietnam jersey

Only Dinh Bac, Thanh Nhan and Quoc Viet have played for the Vietnam national team. With Bui Vi Hao, a young striker who is gradually finding his place in the national team, U.22 Vietnam is likely to participate in the 2026 U.23 Asian qualifiers and the 33rd SEA Games with 4 strikers.

A positive sign for Mr. Kim Sang-sik is that 3 out of 4 U.22 Vietnam strikers have played or are playing in the V-League. Dinh Bac has played 15 matches for the Hanoi Police Club since the beginning of the tournament (9 starting matches), scoring 1 goal. For a player who is not yet 21 years old, that is an encouraging number. Moving from a mid-level team (Quang Nam) to the most ambitious team in the V-League is not an easy choice. Dinh Bac accepted the challenge with the high risk of having to sit on the bench. Although a somewhat "arrogant" choice that matches Dinh Bac's personality, up to now, it has helped the striker from Nghe An gain more than lose.

Although Dinh Bac still has some complicated moves, abusing speed and technique instead of focusing on efficiency, up to this point, the young player of the Hanoi Police team has also improved. Being able to practice and compete with great players like Quang Hai, Leo Artur, Alan Grafite, Van Duc... is a gift for Dinh Bac. Up to this point, the former Quang Nam star is still trying to seize the opportunity.

Dinh Bac (red shirt) played 15 matches for Hanoi Police Club in V-League 2024 - 2025

Vi Hao has proven his ability in the V-League, with 79 matches and 10 goals after 4 seasons. The striker born in 2003 was trusted by Mr. Kim in the AFF Cup 2024, then quickly responded to the trust with 1 goal after 6 matches (5 starting matches). Previously, Vi Hao was also a striker who relied on speed, but now he plays more intelligently and calmly. His enthusiasm and enthusiasm in pressing helped Vi Hao gain the trust of coach Kim Sang-sik. At U.22 Vietnam, Vi Hao has the ability to become the leader of the attack.

Quoc Viet is also a potential face, as he was once known as the "king of youth tournaments" with the title of top scorer of the U.17, U.19 and U.21 national teams and U.19 Southeast Asia. The turning point for Quoc Viet came in 2023, when he joined HAGL. The number of 2 goals after 40 matches shows that the path from the youth tournament to the V-League is still difficult for Quoc Viet, but anyway, the experience in this playground and the ticket to the national team also recorded the progress of the 22-year-old striker.

The only U.22 striker who has never played in the V-League is Thanh Nhan, but he is a rare striker from the team that played in the previous SEA Games.

Lack of good center

Coach Kim Sang-sik once emphasized: young players lack a place in the V-League. With strikers, the problem is even more serious. Even the Vietnamese national team lacks good strikers and had to "import" Nguyen Xuan Son to solve the problem of scoring goals, no wonder U.22 Vietnam struggled.

All 4 current U.22 Vietnam strikers play on the wing or in the back at their clubs. It is understandable, because the striker position is usually given to foreign players.

Van Truong (left) has only started 5 matches this season at Hanoi Club.

At the 32nd SEA Games, coach Philippe Troussier trusted Nguyen Van Tung. Despite not playing much for his home team Hanoi, Van Tung still scored 5 goals in the tournament in Cambodia, helping U.22 Vietnam win third place. Because Van Tung still has the instinct of a striker. He runs well and heads well, and knows how to be a wall for the back line.

Kim Sang-sik does not have a pure striker like that at the moment. Another player who can play as a striker like Nguyen Van Truong actually has the mindset of a midfielder rather than a striker. He tends to dribble and shield the ball, rather than hunt for space to shoot.

Until he finds a "killer" to score goals, Mr. Kim has to be satisfied with what he has. Finding a suitable playing style is better than waiting for optimal personnel.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dan-tien-dao-tai-nang-va-ban-linh-cua-u22-viet-nam-rat-dang-trong-doi-185250311140646385.htm