Cong Phuong and Quang Hai are expected to shine at AFF Cup 2018.
Among the 6 names predicted by the AFF Cup homepage to shine at this year's Southeast Asian championship, Vietnam has two representatives mentioned: Quang Hai and Cong Phuong.
The 12th Southeast Asian Championship witnessed many strong changes in the organization: there were up to 10 representatives participating, and the teams played home and away alternately in the group stage.
With less than 10 days left until the tournament officially kicks off, in addition to predicting which team will be crowned this year, many people are also looking for candidates for the individual title of MVP - Best Player of the tournament.
On the home pageAFF CupThe nominees for this prestigious title include:Stefano Lilipaly (Indonesia), Thitipan Puangchan (Thailand), Manny Ott (Philippines) and Safawi Rasid (Malaysia). Vietnam alone has two representatives mentioned, Nguyen Quang Hai and Nguyen Cong Phuong.
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| Quang Hai is one of Vietnam's candidates for the title "Best Player of the Match". |
According to AFF Cup's assessment, just 16 months after his debut match in the international arena, Quang Hai has become one of the leading candidates for this award.
This page wrote: "At only twenty years old, Hai's talent has attracted the attention of a series of Asian clubs. This further confirms his rapid development at the national team level."
In addition, the AFF Cup also looks forward to a star from Vietnam’s young generation of talent, the versatile striker Nguyen Cong Phuong. Having participated in 4 out of 5 matches at the AFF Cup 2016, this 23-year-old striker can use his experience to lead the national team to the Southeast Asian championship title for the second time in history.
In the Thai squad participating in this year's AFF Cup, central midfielder Thitipan Puangchan has emerged as a football star of the land of golden pagodas in recent years. When all 4 leading stars of the "War Elephants" who are playing in Japan and Belgium cannot return to participate in the tournament, all the pressure and expectations will be placed on the shoulders of "traditional number 8" Thitipan.
One of the most anticipated players in the Indonesian squad is Stefano Lilipaly, a striker of Dutch origin. Two years ago, he scored against Vietnam in the second leg of the semi-final, helping "Garuda" reach the final. After five runner-up finishes, this is the time for the Indonesian team to set its ambition to win the championship for the first time thanks to the strength of a seasoned attack, including Lilipaly.
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| Young talent Safawi Rasid is the pride of Malaysian football. |
The AFF Cup MVP title continues to be mentioned by another European player, midfielder Manny Ott of the Philippines team. The 26-year-old star grew up in the German football training center, has a knack for long passes and the ability to keep the rhythm of the match. Manny Ott is considered the "heart" of the "Azkals" in the journey to conquer the Southeast Asian championship at the end of this year.
The Malaysian team has a name mentioned in the predicted list of the AFF Cup, that is Safawi Rasid. Still very young like Quang Hai, Safawi is one of the brightest rising stars in the Southeast Asian sky but has quickly become a pillar of the national team. With endless creativity, this 21-year-old player will be a nightmare for every defense as Malaysia aims for its first title after 8 years of waiting.
In the history of AFF Cup, the starThailand's Chanathip Songkrasin is the only player to have won the tournament's best player award twice. However, Chanathip did not participate in this year's campaign as he is playing in the J.League.
Vietnam has two representatives who have received the title of Best Player, namely former player Nguyen Hong Son (in 1998) and goalkeeper Duong Hong Son (in 2008).
