Van Quyet retires from Vietnam national team: Farewell at the top

On the evening of October 12, striker Nguyen Van Quyet confirmed that the match against India was the last match he would play for the Vietnamese team.

Joke of fate

At club level, many titles and 116 goals scored in V.League make Van Quyet one of the best in history.

Van Quyet leaves the Vietnam national team.

Ironically, Van Quyet has never found true glory in the national team. When he was young and was known as a “rookie”, the Vietnamese team began to decline. When Van Quyet was truly an important card, Vietnamese football suffered a bitter defeat in the semi-finals of the AFF Cup 2016.

The Vietnamese team won the Southeast Asian championship two years later. Van Quyet was the captain when he lifted the trophy – but his eyes were sad. That season, the striker born in 1991 did not contribute much. He was just a good option on the bench. After that period, Van Quyet gradually disappeared from the national team.

As a joke of fate, coach Park Hang Seo and later Mr. Troussier could not refuse to call Van Quyet because he was so excellent in V.League. No domestic striker has reached the level of Quyet "jungle". This player has the ability to score, keep the ball, coordinate and also has leadership qualities.

Then came the time when the media no longer paid much attention to whether Van Quyet would be selected for the national team or not. Van Quyet also considered it a normal thing. Every morning, he took his child to school, drank coffee, and practiced. Every week, he went to the field to score goals and make assists for Hanoi FC.

The striker admitted: “I thought I had no chance to play for the national team anymore. Then, I still had another chance to stand here.”

Farewell at the top

34 years old - few Vietnamese players can maintain the form like Van Quyet. He returned to the Vietnam team when coach Kim Sang-sik needed a top striker. Put on the field in the second half, Van Quyet played with a completely superior level. Looking at the way the "big brother" played, many juniors probably had to bow their heads in both skill level and attitude on the field, no different from the diamond in the coal mine that coach Kim Sang-sik was looking for.

Van Quyet played very well in the match against India.

After 13 years, Vietnamese football has shifted from finding the “young talent” Van Quyet to finding a replacement for the “veteran” Van Quyet. However, that task came at the time when Van Quyet was expected the most by fans. In just 20 short minutes after the match against India ended, thousands of comments believed that it was time for the Vietnamese team to try to revolve around Van Quyet.

But, the fans' wish did not come true. Van Quyet confirmed his farewell to the Vietnam national team. Perhaps, it was a farewell at the "peak".

Many players do not have titles but are recognized for their talent. Van Quyet owns all kinds of trophies, the individual Golden Ball but sometimes causes controversy. Criticism can come from a few "thorny" situations that are more than necessary or when he plays poorly for the national team.

Now, Van Quyet seems to have found his own “peak”. Fans are calling for him to start, wanting him to be the core to build the team at the AFF Cup 2024. Public recognition and a separate position in the national team are what Van Quyet still lacks in his collection of fame.

Van Quyet did not “impulsively” retire from the national team. This decision was calculated in advance. His body can only handle 60-70 minutes of international competition.

It is difficult for a steadfast player like Van Quyet to change his decision to continue playing in the AFF Cup 2024. However, Van Quyet's lifestyle and playing style bring many valuable lessons to young players in the Vietnam national team.

Ending his journey with the national team, Van Quyet played 60 matches and scored 16 goals.

Mai Phuong

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/van-quyet-gia-tu-tuyen-viet-nam-loi-chia-tay-tren-dinh-cao-ar901557.html