Vietnam's opponents lose Bundesliga's fastest player at AFF Cup

The Philippines team announced the list of 26 players participating in the AFF Cup (ASEAN Cup) 2024. Midfielder Gerrit Holtmann, the team's biggest star, did not participate in the tournament.

The 2024 AFF Cup does not coincide with FIFA's international schedule. Meanwhile, Bundesliga clubs have not yet taken a winter break. Therefore, Gerrit Holtmann still has to prioritize serving his club and cannot join the Philippine team.

Gerrit Holtmann currently plays for Bundesliga club Bochum. In his rare appearance in the 2024-2025 season, the Filipino midfielder set a record in the top flight of German football.

Gerrit Holtmann is a Filipino star playing in the Bundesliga.

Gerrit Holtmann reached a speed of 36.74 km/h in the match between Bochum and Eintracht Frankfurt in round 9 of the Bundesliga. He became the fastest player in the history of the tournament (since the Bundesliga started to have data on the speed of players on the field).

The midfielder, born in 1995, spent most of his career playing in Germany. He was called up to the German U20 team in 2015.

Gerrit Holtmann was born in Bremen, Germany, to a Filipino mother. He completed the procedure for Philippine citizenship in 2021 to be eligible to play for the national team in Southeast Asia. In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, when the Vietnamese team met the Philippines, Gerrit Holtmann did not participate in both the first and second legs.

Xiao Ming

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/doi-thu-cua-tuyen-viet-nam-mat-cau-thu-chay-nhanh-nhat-bundesliga-o-aff-cup-ar911862.html