Van Quyet and the unfinished goodbye

PLAYER OF REGRETTABLE MOMENTS

In the friendly match with India on the evening of October 12, if Quang Hai's cushioning of the ball after Van Quyet's delicate assist had not been blocked by the visiting team's defender on the goal line, or if Quyet's diagonal shot just a few seconds later had sent the ball spinning a little more into the net instead of cutting across the goal line, he could have said goodbye to the Vietnamese team in a more complete way.

Van Quyet says goodbye to Vietnam team

Van Quyet's entire career with the Vietnam national team is probably a collection of such regretful moments. The Hanoi-born player reached the threshold of selection during the darkest period of Vietnamese football, when coach Henrique Calisto left to make way for Phan Thanh Hung and the Vietnam national team began a cycle of rapid decline: being eliminated in the group stage of the AFF Cup 2012, the semi-finals of the AFF Cup 2014 and 2016, interspersed with early stops in the Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers. Despite that, the 33-year-old midfielder was still like a tireless bird, spreading his wings during the incomplete period of the Vietnam national team.

When coach Park Hang-seo arrived and brought a new sky, Van Quyet could no longer maintain his position. He was only a "symbolic" captain, not playing a specific role in the journey to win the AFF Cup 2018 of the Vietnamese team. After that, he was called up to the national team a few times and then... left. The appearance or non-appearance of the captain of Hanoi Club has always been a controversial topic. Some people say that his playing style does not fit the philosophy of coach Park Hang-seo, others think that if he cannot be used, it is a big waste. Because in terms of class, the number of people in Vietnamese football who are better than Van Quyet can probably be counted on the fingers.

Van Quyet's last match in the Vietnam national team jersey

However, the story of the Vietnamese national team under Mr. Park and Van Quyet missing out on fate, ultimately still led to a happy ending for both. The Vietnamese national team reached the quarter-finals of the 2019 Asian Cup and the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup without Quyet in the squad. As for the captain of the Hanoi Club, he has won a lot of V-League titles, the National Cup and 2 Vietnamese Golden Balls in just 3 years. He is a rare player who does not really need the team's halo to be recognized. During those years, it can only be said that he missed the Vietnamese national team, simply because the two sides did not get along.

K CLOSING AN ERA

Although Van Quyet has had enough glory, the night he said goodbye to the Vietnamese team, there was still a bitter taste of regret. Because deep in his heart, the captain of the Hanoi team still loves the national team's shirt very much. This midfielder can stand on the line between love and hate, shining in the turbulent "dark and light" period of Vietnamese football, but his professional awareness needs to be recognized. He strives to show himself at the club to always be ready every time he joins the Vietnamese team. Although he has been in a state of "coming and going" for the past 6 years when he was not placed in a core role by coach Park Hang-seo, Philippe Troussier or Mr. Kim Sang-sik, he is still professional with his job.

Van Quyet is a prominent face of Vietnamese football.

"I think it's very difficult to learn from Van Quyet, because each individual has a different story, and you can't tell one player to learn from another. But when it comes to sharing about competitive spirit, lifestyle, or simply how to behave with the media, young players should learn from him, thereby keeping themselves calm, focused on playing, and not being influenced by the outside world," midfielder Hung Dung shared.

The standard has created a peak career lasting more than a decade for Quyet "jungle" (the nickname given to him by his teammates and fans), helping him, despite many criticisms and incidents, to still be the leader of the young generation of Hanoi team in the transition period.

Van Quyet's 13 years of effort in the national team's jersey may still have some imperfections, but there will be no regrets as he has tried his best.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/van-quyet-va-loi-tam-biet-dang-do-185241013204819305.htm