Vietnam U23 finished their journey in the 2024 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers with 2 wins and 1 draw. The points were enough for coach Philippe Troussier and his team to top the group and qualify for the finals. In the stage of building their squad and playing style, Vietnam U23 has yet to produce any eye-catching performances. However, some players left their personal mark, bringing much hope for the future.

Nguyen Thai Son is steady in midfield

Midfielder Nguyen Thai Son was selected to start all 3 matches of U23 Vietnam. In the current tactical system of the team, Thai Son's role is irreplaceable. Coach Troussier uses different combinations in the midfield, but the Thanh Hoa player's position is always guaranteed.

Number 8 of U23 Vietnam can move all over the field, compete and recover the ball well. Thai Son's mobility helps U23 Vietnam change state quickly. However, this player's limitation is the ability to create breakthroughs with passes.

Regular experience in the V-League is an important factor that helps Thai Son stand out from his teammates in the same position. This player played 20 matches for Dong A Thanh Hoa Club in the 2023 season and his remarkable progress is understandable. If he continues to maintain his current progress, Thai Son will soon be given the opportunity to play for the Vietnam national team for the second time.

Nguyen Van Viet took the place of Quan Van Chuan.

SLNA's goalkeeper is a prominent new face in the 2024 U23 Asian qualifiers. Being given the opportunity to play continuously at the end of the 2023 V-League season opened up opportunities for Nguyen Van Viet and he seized them very successfully. The performance of this goalkeeper brought a sense of security to fans. Van Viet's important saves in the match against U23 Yemen helped U23 Vietnam keep a clean sheet, thereby completing the task of qualifying early.

In the 2024 U23 Asian qualifiers, Quan Van Chuan did not participate because he was banned from playing 2 matches. When returning to U23 Vietnam, the goalkeeper of Hanoi FC will certainly face great competition to keep his position. Compared to his teammates, Van Chuan is at a disadvantage in terms of playing experience because he rarely plays for his club.

Born in 2002, Van Viet's chances of playing in the V-League are still wide open, especially when SLNA says goodbye to goalkeeper Nguyen Van Hoang. If he can maintain his spirit and practice hard, Van Viet deserves to be given the starting position by coach Phan Nhu Thuat. At that time, this player's experience will be built up faster and he will have more opportunities to prove his ability in international matches.

"Trump card" Ho Van Cuong

Coach Troussier did not use Ho Van Cuong as a starter in the two most important matches, but instead chose Nguyen Duc Phu for the right-back position. However, the player wearing the number 13 shirt is still an important option for the French coach, whom he calls his "trump card".

Ho Van Cuong has always proven his ability and made a clear difference when he was brought on as a substitute. The SLNA player's cross-field moves have made the right wing attack of U23 Vietnam more destructive. Van Cuong will be the name that can create many breakthroughs in the future of U23 Vietnam.