Best Young Player 2018: Van Duc finds it difficult to compete with Quang Hai and Van Hau

2018 is a year of many successful tournaments for Vietnamese football. U23 Vietnam competed successfully in the Asian tournament by reaching the final. At ASIAD 2018, the Vietnam Olympic team with the core of the runners-up of the continental tournament held at the beginning of the year continued to flourish and reached the semi-finals. At AFF Cup 2018, we also reached the semi-finals, so the vote for the Golden Ball 2018 will be more exciting.

"Liveshow" of Hanoi Club

The Organizing Committee of the 2018 Vietnam Golden Ball has announced a list of 20 best players for football experts, head coaches of national teams and clubs, captains of V.League teams and reporters nationwide to vote.

There are 16 players competing in the AFF Cup 2018. The remaining 4 individuals are all very familiar names to football fans nationwide, including 2017 Golden Ball winner Dinh Thanh Trung (QNK Quang Nam), Vu Van Thanh (HAGL), Nghiem Xuan Tu (Than Quang Ninh) and Hoang Vu Samson (Hanoi Club).

Quang Hai is full of opportunities to repeat the unbeaten double of Le Cong Vinh in 2004: Winning the Golden Ball (QBV) and the title of Best Young Player. Photo: Trung Kien

The capital team, the 2018 V-League champion, contributed 6 names. They are Hoang Vu Samson, Nguyen Van Quyet, Tran Dinh Trong, Do Duy Manh, Doan Van Hau and Nguyen Quang Hai.

Next is the mountain town team HAGL with 4 representatives including Nguyen Cong Phuong, Vu Van Thanh, Nguyen Van Toan and Luong Xuan Truong. Becamex Binh Duong, SLNA and FLC Thanh Hoa each have 2 people, while Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Quang Nam and Da Nang contribute 1 name.

It seems that the 2018 Golden Ball Gala will be a "live show" of Hanoi Club, the children of Mr. Hien have had a successful year beyond expectations at both club and national team levels.

Young player Quang Hai has been maintaining impressive form since the beginning of the year. He scored 4 goals at the 2018 AFC U23 Championship, helping the Vietnam U23 team win the runner-up position. At the 2018 ASIAD, this striker continued to play impressively. He scored 2 goals, one of which was scored against the Japanese Olympic team in the group stage. In the 2018 AFF Cup group stage, Quang Hai scored 2 goals, 1 assist and was the best player of the national team, up to this point.

Quang Hai is full of opportunities to repeat the unbroken double of Le Cong Vinh in 2004: Winning the Golden Ball (QBV) and the title of best young player. Quang Hai's biggest rivals will be his senior Van Quyet in the number 1 category of the Golden Ball and Doan Van Hau in the category of best young player. These are all teammates of Hai at Hanoi Club.

Captain Van Quyet played the role of one of the locomotives leading Hanoi FC to the V-League championship 5 rounds early. As 1 of 3 players over 23 years old, he had an impressive performance at ASIAD 2018, contributing 2 goals on the journey to the bronze medal match of Olympic Vietnam. At a disadvantage compared to his junior Quang Hai, Van Quyet's performance at the AFF Cup is not going well.

Voting will not be finalized until December 20, so whoever shines in the final matches of the AFF Cup will have the opportunity to win this noble title. But clearly, with the above analysis, it is very difficult for “outsiders” to have the opportunity to touch the 2018 Golden Ball.

Candidate from Nghe An

Quang Hai won the title of Best Young Player of V-League 2017 voted by VFF and has the opportunity to continue competing with teammate Van Hau for the title of Best Young Player of the Year. Young midfielder Van Duc of SLNA is indeed having difficulty competing with Quang Hai for the leading position and is at a slight disadvantage compared to Van Hau in the second place.

In the 2018 football season, Van Duc deserves to be in the top 3 best young players of Vietnamese football. Photo: Trung Kien

But in our opinion, in the 2018 season, Van Duc deserves to be in the top 3 best young players of Vietnamese football. Participating in all 3 major tournaments of the U23 Asian team 2018, ASIAD 2018 and AFF Cup 2018, the player from Nghe An is showing constant progress. In the SLNA shirt, Van Duc has become a mainstay of the attack in the first year replacing his senior Phi Son.