Overseas Vietnamese star shines, U.22 Vietnam raises class and depth

Viktor Le brings a new breeze to U.22 Vietnam

When Viktor Le was called up to the U.22 Vietnam team, not everyone believed that the midfielder with mixed Vietnamese and Russian blood would gain a foothold.

Firstly, youth teams are not a "good land" for overseas Vietnamese players. Previously, Dutch-Vietnamese Thomas Mai Veereen (Mai Cong Thanh) tried his hand at the Vietnam U.17 team, and Andrej Nguyen An Khanh (Czech-Vietnamese) was also called up to the Vietnam U.22 team.

However, Mai Veereen was not selected by coach Cristiano Roland, and Andrej Nguyen An Khanh is still struggling. Language barriers and lifestyle differences make it difficult for young overseas Vietnamese players to integrate.

New look for U.22 Vietnam?

PHOTO: NGOC DUONG

Similarly, Viktor Le is not fluent in Vietnamese and he is only a "substitute" at Ha Tinh Club (8 matches from the bench). However, the difference of Viktor Le is that he has outstanding ability. It is the class of a player who has played 3 seasons in V-League that has helped him overcome all barriers to become the "trump card" of Coach Dinh Hong Vinh.

Throughout the 3 friendly matches of U.22 Vietnam in China, Viktor Le was in the starting lineup and had a hand in both goals of the home team. In the match against U.22 Korea, Viktor Le put pressure on the opponent, causing confusion and mistakes before Thanh Nhan swooped in to score. In the match against U.22 China, the confident handling and passing of the Ha Tinh midfielder helped Nguyen Quoc Viet score.

However, Viktor Le's mark is not only in moments. Overall, the midfielder born in 2003 has proven many things. He is willing to press and tackle fiercely when the opponent has the ball. When he has the ball at his feet, the Russian midfielder handles it quickly and neatly with passes and exchanges with his teammates to escape pressure.

Viktor Le's plus point is that he diligently appears at every hot spot to support the ball deployment. The 22-year-old midfielder's handling movements focus on efficiency, rarely being cumbersome or redundant. Viktor Le's energy and flexibility are like "lubricating oil", helping the U.22 Vietnam midfield play well in all 3 matches.

Viktor Le (third from left, top row) was given a chance.

PHOTO: VFF

Acting coach Dinh Hong Vinh once said that Viktor Le has shown his ability, the important thing is integration. Initially, the 22-year-old midfielder has done it. Against top regional opponents such as U.22 Korea or U.22 Uzbekistan, Viktor Le has shown his worth.

However, he needs more time, because when coach Kim Sang-sik returns, the players will have to prove their physical strength if they want to be trusted. Physical strength is not Viktor Le's strong point, as he has only started 21 matches in the past 3 seasons, playing an average of only 44.3 minutes/match this season.

U.22 Vietnam is full of promise

U.22 Vietnam in the March training session can be divided into 2 groups. Group 1 includes outstanding players such as Ly Duc, Trung Kien, Thai Son, Vi Hao who were called up to the Vietnam team by Mr. Kim to "test their skills".

Group 2 are the players that coach Dinh Hong Vinh registered for the training trip in China.

There are familiar faces like Nguyen Van Truong, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Quoc Viet, but there are also new players like central defenders Le Van Ha, Nguyen Hieu Minh, Nguyen Nhat Minh, Nguyen Hong Phuc, midfielders Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong, Viktor Le, Nguyen Phi Hoang, Andrej Nguyen An Khanh, striker Vo Anh Quan...

According to the criteria of the U.22 Vietnam coaching staff, there is no distinction between new and old players. All need to strive to prove their ability under the same training conditions and tactical training plans.

U.22 Vietnam coaching staff wants to build a united team

PHOTO: MINH TU

There have been "scoring" players like Viktor Le or Quoc Viet, but there are also players who have to work hard. The generation of players in the hands of the duo Kim Sang-sik and Dinh Hong Vinh is difficult to compare with the senior generation in terms of playing experience, as most of them play in the first division or are reserve players in the V-League.

However, with what has been shown after 3 draws in China, the players have shown determination, dedication and discipline in their playing style. U.22 Vietnam is also built in a tight defense direction, with flexible transitions from defense to attack, ready to push up the pressing...

U.22 Vietnam will not depend on any individual. Collective strength is the "compass" for the whole team to reach important goals in 2025.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngoi-sao-viet-kieu-toa-sang-u22-viet-nam-nang-tam-dang-cap-va-chieu-sau-185250326200128911.htm