Tien Linh and Tuan Hai: Who is better?

In 2024, both Nguyen Tien Linh and Pham Tuan Hai have their own advantages to compete for the Vietnam Golden Ball title, with good performance in the V-League and influence in the Vietnam national team.

Up to this point, Tien Linh has scored 12 goals in the V-League in 2024. The striker born in 1997 is leading the list of top scorers in the V-League 2024 - 2025 with 6 goals since the beginning of the season. Tien Linh is a rare domestic striker who has achieved an efficiency of 1 goal/match in the highest level of professional football in Vietnam (usually domestic strikers only achieve a maximum of 0.4 to 0.5 goals/match).

At both Binh Duong Club and the Vietnam national team, Tien Linh is placed in the role of main striker. Coach Hoang Anh Tuan is building a domestic striker line in Binh Duong, with Tien Linh playing the role of scoring goals and leading the attack. Compared to the period when Coach Le Huynh Duc was in charge, Tien Linh's influence is now much greater. According to Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Tien Linh is "no different from a foreign player", both in terms of professional quality and contribution.

In the Vietnamese national team, Tien Linh had a quiet first 6 months of the year due to injuries, and was not trusted by coach Philippe Troussier. However, when coach Kim Sang-sik took over, the 27-year-old striker regained his position. He scored a double against the Philippines in the first match coached by Kim, then added another goal against Thailand.

As for Tuan Hai, the number of goals in the V-League in 2024 is currently at 8. Of which, 7 goals were scored in the 2023-2024 season, while this season, the Hanoi Club player only scored 1 goal. That was the goal in the 14th minute of injury time, in Hanoi's 1-1 draw with Hanoi Police Club.

If Tien Linh is the main striker of Binh Duong Club, Tuan Hai is also an indispensable factor of Hanoi Club. Although he has only played 4 matches since the beginning of the tournament (missed 2 matches due to injury), Tuan Hai is gradually regaining his form. In the context of Hanoi Club's domestic players being too... bad, the 26-year-old player is a hopeful support for Coach Le Duc Tuan to build his playing style.

In the Vietnam national team, Tuan Hai has scored 3 goals, including 1 goal at the 2023 Asian Cup, and 2 goals against the Philippines and Iraq under Kim Sang-sik. Thus, at the national level, both have the same mark and statistics. In the V-League, Tien Linh is slightly better with high performance in the 2024 - 2025 season.

AFF Cup turning point

The achievements of the Vietnamese national team play an important role for the candidates competing for the Vietnam Golden Ball. Since there is not much difference in the V-League, if they shine at the AFF Cup, Tien Linh or Tuan Hai will win.

In the Vietnam national team, Tien Linh is currently trusted by coach Kim Sang-sik as a center forward in a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 formation. As for Tuan Hai, he plays as an attacking midfielder or a second striker in a 2-striker formation, or as a winger in a 3-striker formation.

With the squad and playing style both in the formative stage, it is difficult to predict which name will shine. At the AFF Cup 2022, Tien Linh played well with 6 goals, winning the top scorer title. In the Southeast Asian playground, experience is Tien Linh's support.

However, Tuan Hai has a knack for big matches, thanks to his good finishing skills and wide range of activities.

Therefore, the race for the Vietnamese Golden Ball is still very unpredictable.