Bac was grabbed by the neck and shirt, resulting in large scratches on his neck as he rushed to defend teammate Vo Anh Quan after a challenge in the 54th minute. He continued playing, contributing significantly to Vietnam's successful defense of their title in the 2025 AFF U23 Championship. The 22-year-old striker only left the field in the final minutes of stoppage time when coach Kim Sang-sik reinforced the defense.

"I don't feel the pain anymore. As long as Vietnam wins, this pain is nothing," Bac said, rubbing his neck after the final at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on 29/7.

Striker Nguyen Dinh Bac suffered multiple injuries to his neck due to actions by an Indonesian player during the AFF U23 final on the evening of 29/7. Photo: Anh Khoa

Bac didn't score in the final, but he played in all four matches, starting in three. The Nghe An native striker played 265 out of 360 minutes, scoring two goals and providing one assist. In the group stage, Bac was named man of the match in the 2-1 win against Cambodia. In the semi-final against the Philippines, the Nghe An native striker equalized at 1-1, paving the way for Vietnam's 2-1 comeback victory.

Consequently, Bac was named the tournament's most valuable player, an honor no Vietnamese player had ever achieved in the history of the AFF U23 Championship. "We set the goal of winning the championship, and we achieved it, so we are very happy," Bac said. "This championship is a motivation for us to strive and perform well in the Asian U23 qualifiers and the 33rd SEA Games. We will bring the best results for Vietnamese football."

Midfielder Viktor Le was also thrilled with his first title with Vietnamese football. "I have won titles before while playing in Russia, but this time, it's in the colors of my father's homeland, so it has a very special meaning. We can return home with the championship trophy. Everyone will be very happy, and this is very valuable for the Vietnamese people," he shared.

Viktor Le with the AFF U23 Championship trophy alongside Vietnam. Photo: Anh Khoa

Viktor Le, born in 2003, has a Vietnamese father and a Russian mother. He developed his skills at the renowned CSKA Moscow academy. With his family's support, he returned to Vietnam to seek opportunities and joined Binh Dinh at the beginning of 2023. From the 2023-2024 season, Viktor transferred to Ha Tinh. He played 31 matches for the central region team, totaling 1,413 minutes, averaging 45 minutes per match, and scoring two goals.

In the tournament in Indonesia, Viktor Le often came off the bench, playing energetically but without scoring. In the final, he replaced Nguyen Cong Phuong in the second half, demonstrating skillful handling and good tempo control.

One of Viktor's biggest impressions was the atmosphere at Bung Karno Stadium with 35,000 spectators. "The feeling in the stadium was amazing, but I didn't understand what they were saying. Maybe they were shouting unpleasant things. But I tried to enjoy it whether they spoke well or badly," Viktor said.

Central defender Pham Ly Duc was also excited about winning his first title with the U23 Vietnam team. He said he had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.

Central defender Pham Ly Duc celebrates after U23 Vietnam's victory. Photo: Anh Khoa

The 22-year-old Duc, from Tay Ninh, developed his skills at the Nutifood JMG academy. He played for Ba Ria Vung Tau for two seasons in the First Division before joining U21 HAGL and winning the national championship in that age group in 2024. In the 2024-2025 V-League, the 1.82m tall center-back was promoted to the HAGL first team, immediately securing a starting position, playing 20 matches, scoring three goals and providing one assist. He was subsequently called up to the national team and the U23 team.

In the recent tournament, Duc played in every match, scored one goal, and was Vietnam's best defender.

According to the plan, the U23 Vietnam team will bring the Cup back to Vietnam today. The flight is expected to land at 5:05 PM at Tan Son Nhat Airport, TP HCM.

Duc Dong