This morning, Thai Son was taken to the hospital for examination. Results showed the midfielder from Thanh Hoa has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He will require surgery and is expected to be sidelined until the end of 2026.

The injury occurred in the 67th minute. Ninh Binh lost possession in midfield, initiating a counter-attack. Nguyen Thai Son tracked back to mark Leonardo Artur. As the Brazilian forward cut right, Thai Son planted his right foot to brake and pivoted, leading to the injury.

The 2003-born midfielder clutched his leg and sat on the field. This was Thai Son's debut for Ninh Binh after leaving his hometown club Thanh Hoa. Coach Albadalejo brought him on at the start of the second half. After three minutes of medical attention, he left the field, replaced by Nguyen Le Phat.

The incident leading to Nguyen Thai Son's (black shirt) knee ligament injury during Ninh Binh's 2-3 loss to Cong an Ha Noi in round 12 of the V-League 2025-2026, at Hang Day Stadium in Ha Noi on 1/2/2026.

This injury comes just eight days after Thai Son's U23 Asia 2026 campaign. In the tournament held in Arab Saudi, he was Vietnam's second-most played player, with 544 minutes across 6 matches, including two in extra time. He was only behind center-back Nguyen Nhat Minh, who played a full 600 minutes.

Thai Son is the second national team player to suffer a torn ligament recently. Center-back Nguyen Hieu Minh, born in 2004, also sustained a right knee injury in the 0-3 semi-final loss to China on 20/1. Hieu Minh has since undergone successful surgery in TP HCM.

Nguyen Thai Son (black shirt) is carried off the field after Ninh Binh's 2-3 loss to Cong an Ha Noi in round 12 of the V-League 2025-2026, at Hang Day Stadium in Ha Noi on 1/2/2026. *Photo: Ninh Binh FC*

Nguyen Thai Son, born in 2003, came through the Thanh Hoa youth academy. He joined the first team in 2022 and quickly earned a starting role. In the two most recent V-League seasons, Thai Son played in 49 of 52 matches. This season, he played 9 matches for Thanh Hoa before his transfer to Ninh Binh.

For the national team, coach Philippe Troussier frequently utilized Thai Son, who consistently started from 2023. However, under coach Kim Sang-sik, he lost his regular spot. Thai Son regained trust at SEA Games 33, notably in the 3-2 final victory over Thailand, where he provided offensive and defensive balance for the team.

Hieu Luong