Nguyen Xuan Son is currently in Brazil undergoing rehabilitation for an injury and is not expected to return to Vietnam until the end of August. His inclusion in Nam Dinh's 29-player squad for the Super Cup has therefore raised eyebrows.
In reality, Xuan Son is not yet fit to play. According to a Nam Dinh representative, his name was added because there were remaining slots on the roster. This also gives the 1997-born striker the opportunity to receive a medal should the team win.
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Nam Dinh striker Nguyen Xuan Son celebrates the opening goal in the 3-0 victory over Thanh Hoa in the 2023-2024 National Super Cup final at Thien Truong Stadium, Ninh Binh on 31/8/2024. Photo: Lam Thoa |
Nam Dinh striker Nguyen Xuan Son celebrates the opening goal in the 3-0 victory over Thanh Hoa in the 2023-2024 National Super Cup final at Thien Truong Stadium, Ninh Binh on 31/8/2024. Photo: Lam Thoa
Super Cup regulations stipulate that each team can register a minimum of 18 and a maximum of 30 players. Rosters must include at least 18 professional players and three goalkeepers, with a maximum of seven foreign players, two Vietnamese players without Vietnamese citizenship, and one foreign-born Vietnamese player.
Meanwhile, a maximum of 15 officials and coaches can be registered. This corresponds to the total of 45 medals awarded to the Super Cup winning team.
For the match itself, each team can register a maximum of nine officials and coaches, and a maximum of 20 players, including at least two goalkeepers. A maximum of seven foreign players can be registered, but only three can be on the field at the same time.
Following the technical meeting on August 8, both Nam Dinh and Cong An Ha Noi registered 29 players. In addition to naturalized player Xuan Son, Nam Dinh's six foreign players are center-back Lucas Alves, midfielders Caio Cesar, Mahmoud Eid, Romulo, and forwards Brenner and Kyle Hudlin. Vietnamese overseas player Kevin Pham Ba is also on the roster.
Cong An Ha Noi (CAHN) has two Vietnamese overseas players: defenders Brandon Ly and Adou Minh Leygley. Their six foreign players include center-back Hugo Gomes, midfielders Vitao and Stefan Mauk, and forwards Leonardo Artur, Alan Sebastiao, and Rogerio Alves, the latter having played for Nam Dinh last season.
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Cong An Ha Noi (in red) defeated Nam Dinh 3-0 in round 5 of the 2024-2025 V-League at Thien Truong Stadium, Nam Dinh on 28/10/2024. Photo: VPF |
Cong An Ha Noi (in red) defeated Nam Dinh 3-0 in round 5 of the 2024-2025 V-League at Thien Truong Stadium, Nam Dinh on 28/10/2024. Photo: VPF
As the reigning 2024-2025 V-League champions, Nam Dinh will host the National Cup winners, CAHN, at Thien Truong Stadium. The match, kicking off at 6:00 PM on August 9, marks the start of the new Vietnamese football season.
Nam Dinh has prepared meticulously, undertaking fitness training in Phu Yen (now Dak Lak), followed by a training camp in South Korea, including three friendlies against K-League youth teams. "The Super Cup match will be a test of our preparations," said coach Vu Hong Viet at the press conference on August 8. "We will strive for victory. Every tournament has its own pressures, but overcoming them makes success even brighter."
On the opposing side, coach Mano Polking expressed his excitement for the match between two strong clubs, taking place in a beautiful stadium with passionate fans. "We must stay focused, united, and communicate well," the Brazilian coach said. "The match will be challenging with the opponent having around 20,000 home supporters."
CAHN has never won the Super Cup, while Nam Dinh has the chance to claim the title for the second consecutive season.
The first National Super Cup took place in 1999, with The Cong defeating Cong An TP HCM 3-0. Ha Noi FC has won the most Super Cups with five titles (2010, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022). SLNA and Binh Duong (now Becamex TP HCM) follow with four titles each.
Hieu Luong
