Vietnamese football: Hope from the wave of overseas Vietnamese players.
The 6th meeting of the VFF Executive Committee, 9th term (2022-2026), held on July 19th, reached an important decision to increase the number of foreign players of Vietnamese origin (who do not yet have Vietnamese citizenship) allowed to register to play in the V-League from 1 player/team to 2 players/team.
Although the VFF Executive Committee has not officially given a reason for this change in policy regarding the use of foreign players of Vietnamese origin, also known as overseas Vietnamese players, this is certainly related to the strong rise of Indonesian football thanks to its foreign players in recent times.
Since the V-League adopted the rule allowing one overseas Vietnamese player (whether or not they have Vietnamese citizenship), the professional league has witnessed a significant number of players of foreign origin. However, the reality shows that the number of truly talented players can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and coincidentally, they are all in the goalkeeper position, with Dang Van Lam, Patrik Le Giang, and Filip Nguyen.
Except for Patrik Le Giang, both Dang Van Lam and Filip Nguyen have been members of the Vietnamese national team, and Van Lam was a key figure in the successful years of the Vietnamese national team under coach Park Hang Seo.
However, many other Vietnamese players living abroad are not so fortunate, with a number of them facing unemployment after the 2023/24 season ends. This includes Ryan Ha, whose contract extension was refused by Hanoi FC, Truong Quoc Minh, who left Quang Nam, and SHB Da Nang, who parted ways with center-back Steven Dang Thanh Hoang, even though coach Truong Viet Hoang's team is in dire need of a central defender.
Furthermore, players like Adriano Schmidt, Viktor Le, and Martin Lo have not made a significant impact at their respective clubs in the 2023/24 season, and even if they were retained for the 2024/25 season, they would likely struggle to secure a truly important position.
The V-League still desperately needs truly high-class and quality overseas Vietnamese players like Filip Nguyen or Patrik Le Giang, not just in the goalkeeper position, but also in many other roles on the field such as defenders, midfielders, and especially forwards.
The number of Vietnamese players playing abroad remains a resource that Vietnamese football has yet to fully exploit and utilize for various reasons, and the recent decision by the VFF Executive Committee at its 6th session of the 9th term (2022-2026) to increase the number of overseas Vietnamese players could create a significant turning point.
Certainly, more overseas Vietnamese players will take notice of the V-League after the successes achieved by Dang Van Lam, Filip Nguyen, and Patrik Le Giang, and the return of these expatriate sons is expected to help Vietnamese football reach a higher level, not only in the V-League but also for the national team.
The name that fans are eagerly anticipating in the upcoming V-League 2024/25 season is Jason Pendant Quang Vinh. The club of this Vietnamese-American defender, Quevilly-Rouen Metropole, was relegated last season, and there are many rumors suggesting that Quang Vinh may move to the V-League to play football.
Quang Vinh himself once shared: "If I had Vietnamese citizenship and all the necessary legal documents, then the head coach of the Vietnamese national team could approach me. For me, the words 'Vietnam' hold immense significance. Vietnam is a part of my heart. It's where my mother was born and raised."
It would be ideal if the V-League had more players who received professional training in an advanced European football league like Quang Vinh, and therefore the policy of increasing the number of registration slots for overseas Vietnamese players in the V-League is considered very timely and insightful.
