The Vietnam national team currently consists of three player groups: domestically trained, overseas Vietnamese, and naturalized players who have resided in Vietnam for five consecutive years. The ASEAN Cup 2026 marked the first time Vietnam featured three naturalized players: Nguyen Xuan Son, Do Hoang Hen, and Nguyen Tai Loc, all born in Brazil.

During a media briefing at the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) headquarters on the afternoon of 10/9, Vice President Tran Anh Tu stated that while Vietnam previously limited naturalized players, it now utilizes this resource like many other nations. "VFF does not impose limits; we have never set a number for how many naturalized players will be called up", Mr. Tu said. "There are many naturalized players, but selecting them is the head coach's prerogative. He will consider players who fit the team's playing style and Vietnamese identity".

Brazilian-born Vietnamese midfielder Do Hoang Hen (10) celebrates Vietnam's 1-1 equalizer in their 2-2 draw against Thailand in the ASEAN Cup 2026 final second leg, at My Dinh Stadium, Hanoi on 26/8/2026. Photo: Ngoc Thanh

According to the VFF Vice President, during the recent Southeast Asian tournament, coach Kim Sang-sik typically deployed one or two naturalized players on the field simultaneously. Additionally, many decisive moments still came from domestically trained players, such as the victory against Indonesia in the group stage or the two-leg final win against Thailand. In the semi-finals, Nguyen Xuan Son scored three goals, helping Vietnam defeat Malaysia with a 4-0 aggregate score.

Vietnam currently has two other notable naturalized players: Brazilian-born center-back Do Phi Long from Cong an Nhan dan FC (First Division) and Nigerian striker Olaha Manh Duc from Cong an TP HCM. However, Olaha will not meet FIFA's five-year residency requirement to play for Vietnam until 2027.

Among overseas Vietnamese players, the national team includes goalkeeper Le Giang Patrik (Slovakian heritage) and Dang Van Lam (Russia). For the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, the team gained more options, such as goalkeeper Nguyen Filip (Czech Republic), defenders Cao Pendant Quang Vinh and Nguyen Adou Minh Leygley (France), and strikers Nguyen Dang Khoa (Australia) and Williams Minh Hoang (England).

Vietnam is in Group B of the First Division, set to face the Philippines on 26/9, Thailand on 29/9, and Pakistan on 2/10. The team aims to finish first in their group to advance to the final, likely against the Group A winner, which is expected to be Indonesia.

Round two of the V-League 2026-2027 will conclude on 13/9. However, coach Kim Sang-sik will not have his full squad until 21/9, as Cong an Ha Noi Club (CAHN) and The Cong are competing in the AFC Champions League Elite and AFC Champions League Two. Due to participating in four competitions, CAHN even has an earlier V-League match against Dong Nai on 20/9.

Vietnam Football Federation Vice President Tran Anh Tu, who also serves as head of the Vietnam national team delegation at the ASEAN Cup 2026, speaks to reporters at a training ground in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 14/8/2026, before the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 semi-final against Malaysia. Photo: Duc Dong

In addition to a short training period, Vietnam faces setbacks as left-back Nguyen Van Vi is sidelined for one month due to injury. Nguyen Hoang Duc has a torn adductor muscle but is expected to recover in time for the tournament. "VFF has been working with Ninh Binh Club. Coach Kim will consider the actual situation and await evaluation from the medical department", Vice President Tran Anh Tu stated.

Following the FIFA ASEAN Cup, Vietnam will have another training camp in November, featuring two friendly matches against Taiwan and Kyrgyzstan. On 21/12, the national team will regroup before heading to Qatar for a training camp on 1/1, in preparation for the Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia.

Also at this afternoon's press conference, Mr. Tu and two other VFF leaders discussed the situation, plans, and goals for other national teams.

Both the U23 men's and Vietnam women's national teams are aiming for the quarterfinals of ASIAD 20 in Japan. The women's team is currently undergoing a squad rejuvenation under new coach Hoang Van Phuc and will conclude their training camp in China today before traveling to Japan.

Meanwhile, the U23 team, comprising half U21 players, will be led by interim coach Dinh Hong Vinh, as coach Kim Sang-sik is focusing on the senior national team for the FIFA ASEAN Cup. The team will convene on 12/9, with only two days to prepare for their opening match against Kuwait in Group C on 15/9. U23 Vietnam announced their 23-player squad on 9/9, but changes are expected due to injuries or clubs altering player release plans. The team anticipates missing three players for their opening fixture, followed by matches against the Philippines on 18/9 and Uzbekistan on 22/9.

Hieu Luong