Quang Hai's goal for Hanoi Police Club is a positive signal for the Vietnam national team. (Source: Dan Tri)

One of the most anticipated returns to the Vietnam national team is Nguyen Quang Hai. This player was absent from the match between Vietnam and Iraq in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in November.

In the most recent rounds of the V-League 2023/24, right before the Vietnamese team gathered, Quang Hai showed very good form.

The midfielder of Hanoi Police Club scored 3 goals, entering the group of players with the most goals for the police team in the V-League season 2023/24, after 8 rounds.

Another notable thing is that Quang Hai's goals were all scored in recent rounds, including a beautiful goal against Binh Duong team on December 26, in round 8.

This goal fully demonstrates Quang Hai's qualities: good observation, high technique and endless creativity.

He made a curling shot into the far corner, causing goalkeeper Tran Minh Toan of Binh Duong team to almost just stand and watch, even though Tran Minh Toan is not a bad goalkeeper among the current domestic football goalkeepers.

In the attack of the Vietnamese team, Nguyen Tien Linh is also returning. The Binh Duong Club player has scored two goals so far in the V-League 2023/24.

Like Quang Hai, Tien Linh's goals have also appeared in recent rounds. From just sitting on the bench in the early stages of V-League 2023/24, Tien Linh has an official position and captaincy at Binh Duong Club, regaining the trust of the famously difficult coach Le Huynh Duc.

Tien Linh's return to form is very important for the Vietnamese team because until now he is still the number one striker in domestic football, surpassing players Van Tung or Dinh Bac in terms of experience and sharpness in front of the opponent's goal.

Other players in good form include striker Pham Tuan Hai, center back Bui Hoang Viet Anh, goalkeeper Filip Nguyen, left back Vo Minh Trong, right back Vu Van Thanh, midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh, Nguyen Thai Son. They are the mainstays of the current Vietnamese team.

Of course, there are also some positions that have had poor performance recently, such as central defender Nguyen Thanh Binh, midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc, Do Hung Dung, and striker Nguyen Van Tung.

However, among these, except for central defender Nguyen Thanh Binh, the remaining faces are not often starting in the Vietnam national team, so their performance does not affect coach Troussier's calculations too much.

Coach Troussier felt worried when central defender Que Ngoc Hai and goalkeeper Dang Van Lam got injured. They are important positions but the team has alternative plans for these two positions.

Thanh Binh is ready to replace Que Ngoc Hai, and goalkeeper Filip Nguyen is even considered more comprehensive than goalkeeper Dang Van Lam.

The Vietnamese team will begin gathering on December 31 and train for a week in Hanoi. On January 5, 2024, Coach Troussier's team will travel to Qatar - the host country of the 2024 Asian Cup.

In Qatar, the Vietnamese team will have a "warm-up" match against Kyrgyzstan on January 9, 2024. Then, on January 14, Coach Troussier's team will have their opening match at the Asian Cup, against the Japanese team.

( according to Dan Tri )