2 SLNA players were called up to the Vietnam U23 team

On September 30, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) sent a dispatch to Song Lam Nghe An Club regarding the call-up of players to attend the third training session of the National U23 team in 2025. Accordingly, two young faces of the Nghe An team, goalkeeper Cao Van Binh and defender Tran Nam Hai, were named in the training list from October 4 to October 15, 2025 at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center, Hanoi.

Cao Van Binh and Tran Nam Hai are both players who grew up in the SLNA training center and quickly affirmed their potential in this team. Van Binh stands out for his quick reflexes and confidence in playing in goal, while Nam Hai is a versatile defender, playing solidly and strongly in contested situations.

The fact that coach Kim Sang-sik gave both players the opportunity to join the national team is an important step forward in their careers, because if they perform well, they will have the opportunity to be on the official list of the Vietnam U23 team to participate in important international tournaments at the end of the year.

In this call-up list, Coach Phan Nhu Thuat - who just left the head coach position of SLNA - is also present in the coaching staff of the Vietnam U23 team.

Notably, the training session took place right after U23 Vietnam won a ticket to the 2026 AFC U23 Championship finals. In the qualifying round held in early September, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team won all 3 matches, including a 1-0 victory over U23 Yemen, thereby making it to the finals for the 6th consecutive time.

This training session is considered an important preparation step for U23 Vietnam to win the gold medal at SEA Games 33, scheduled to take place at the end of 2025. The fact that two young players from SLNA were called up to the team is a positive sign, and at the same time affirms the value of youth football training at Song Lam Nghe An.