Lessons from Quang Hai: What should Dinh Bac do to avoid losing himself in the glare of fame?
Expert Duong Vu Lam warned young talent Dinh Bac about balancing his professional career with entertainment activities, citing the careers of Quang Hai and Bui Tien Dung as examples.
Dinh Bac is at a crucial turning point in his career after making a strong impression at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship. His rapid rise has made him the focus of media attention, but it has also led to distractions from off-field activities.
The fine line between a football star and an entertainment figure.
Speaking to the media on the morning of February 11, 2026, Mr. Duong Vu Lam, former Vice President of the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF), affirmed a core principle: A player's commercial value is always directly proportional to their performance on the field. If they cannot keep their feet on the ground, the allure of fame will quickly extinguish their talent.
Notably, expert Duong Vu Lam cited the contrast between the two stars of the 2018 Changzhou miracle. While Nguyen Quang Hai maintained his top position for eight years thanks to his professionalism and steely determination, goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung shifted his focus to entertainment activities, leading to his loss of his place among the most elite goalkeepers in Vietnam today.
Lessons from world football and the need for a consulting team.
The story of Dinh Bac is not limited to domestic football; it also highlights the reality in Europe. Young talents like Lamine Yamal at Barcelona have recently been embroiled in controversy due to their premature fame. Conversely, icons like Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham are role models for balancing professional success with the systematic exploitation of their commercial image.
According to Mr. Lam, the pursuit of players by brands is an inevitable trend in modern football. However, Dinh Bac needs a professional support team to manage his image, helping to increase his income while ensuring he remains fully focused on training. This expert emphasized that Dinh Bac needs to self-regulate and needs strong-willed individuals by his side to remind him when necessary.
With his solid training foundation and inherent potential, Dinh Bac can certainly go far if he prioritizes his professional skills. A player's career is short, and only goals and titles are the most sustainable measures of a true star's value.
